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Official Vizio XVT3SV Series NO PRICE or Coupon talk - Page 159

post #4741 of 4769
4/22/12 at 12:22pm
It's somewhat subjective and depends on ambient room light. If it looks "natural" to you, it's good to go.
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post #4742 of 4769
4/27/12 at 6:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MattS71 View Post

Hey all - been browsing this section; have the Xvt553Sv and only thing I have wondered about: backlight setting; some have it at 20, some 40 - to me, my tv looks good around 75

I've noticed the color settings are all pretty similar to each other, but that backlight option is all over the place. What causes that? I am a total noob, so keep that in mind!



Thanks

It might be due to the fact that the backlight setting is the setting that has the least effect on every other setting. What I mean by that is that it is the only setting that will allow brightness, contrast, gamma, tint-hue, chroma, etc track without changing much. Every other setting can take you way off track in a hurry if adjusted improperly.

It may also be that it is somewhat duplicative of brightness and contrast. IOW, you can set B&C to the bright side and attenuate that somewhat with the BL, or set B&C to the dark side and lift it back up somewhat with the BL. The differences are then somewhat subtle.

It is also non-intuitive; its difficult to make adjustments to it that can be easily judged too high or too low, partly because it is subtle, and partly because other settings can offset it. There do not seem to be any particular instructions either expert or colloquial on how to set the BL.

I think it also depends on the environment. A low BL setting might be acceptable in a dark home theatre, while not acceptable in a family room with lots of ambient light.

But in my experience, I think it is good to try various backlight settings and then adjust the other settings to compensate, and see what you like best. At some point, having the BL too low and the B&C too high may cause the other settings to crush or go non-linear, and likewise setting it too high may do the same thing. In fact, I think there might be a point where setting the BL too high or too low may put the BL response itself into a non-linear state. Typically that is not a good thing, but it can be used to creatively set a knee on a gamma curve, if crudely.

The other thing to consider is energy efficiency. While I would never compromise PQ by having the BL too low, I try to use the lowest setting that is acceptable, because the BL is the primary controllable element in energy efficiency for a LCD or LED TV.

I set mine at 10-13. I think there is a natural human tendency to equate brighter with better, immediately without thinking, the same way speaker manufacturers used to tweak efficiency because in listening tests louder sounds better, at least at first. And that is your first natural instinct, that raising the overall image brightness seems, just at first, an improvement over a lower brightness level, and that lowering the brightness seems, just at first, a detriment to PQ. A similar thing happens with chroma levels; turning that up seems proper at the moment you first do that, and turning that down seems to be counter to what looks best at the moment that you first do that, but living with it for a moment reveals that a lower chroma level might also be more realistic than what most folks normally set their TVs to, and what they have grown used to.

That original tendency to overdo color and brightness is a human-nature rush to judgement based on first instinct, and is exactly the quality of human perception that has lead to "torch" mode on the showroom floor. And "acquired taste" is what separates us from the primates; we have the ability to judge critically based on more than just first blush. Our "reptile" brain probably lights up at a bright, colorful, ridiculously-unrealistic image, but the prefrontal cortex and exclusive higher human brain functions physically wrapped around our reptile brainstem can override that instinct by eventually appreciating color and brightness levels that are more like real life, if only given half a chance.

Here's a little experiment: Rise above, evolve beyond the first-instinct tendency. Ignore that first subconscious gut-instinct that whispers to you that less color or brightness is not as good as more color or brightness. If you are patient and take just a moment to savor a lower brightness level, it quickly begins to appear more realistic than a brighter level might. It just takes a moment to get accustomed to. It is a learned behavior instead of a reactive behavior, and that leads to better judgment and overall better PQ, IMHO. Then, savor just how much smarter we humans are than what we evolved from. The real bonus in all of that is that your TV will then not look like it was calibrated by a chimpanzee.

The good thing is that smart dimming still works with the BL down all the way, so "down all the way" is not really "off", just the lowest setting available (you can still see the BL through the vent holes in the back).

So the short advice is "pick what works best for you". I don't think there is a "wrong" setting for BL.
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post #4743 of 4769
4/27/12 at 7:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TomCat View Post

It might be due to the fact that the backlight setting is the setting that has the least effect on every other setting. What I mean by that is that it is the only setting that will allow brightness, contrast, gamma, tint-hue, chroma, etc track without changing much. Every other setting can take you way off track in a hurry if adjusted improperly.

It may also be that it is somewhat duplicative of brightness and contrast. IOW, you can set B&C to the bright side and attenuate that somewhat with the BL, or set B&C to the dark side and lift it back up somewhat with the BL. The differences are then somewhat subtle.

It is also non-intuitive; its difficult to make adjustments to it that can be easily judged too high or too low, partly because it is subtle, and partly because other settings can offset it. There do not seem to be any particular instructions either expert or colloquial on how to set the BL.

I think it also depends on the environment. A low BL setting might be acceptable in a dark home theatre, while not acceptable in a family room with lots of ambient light.

But in my experience, I think it is good to try various backlight settings and then adjust the other settings to compensate, and see what you like best. At some point, having the BL too low and the B&C too high may cause the other settings to crush or go non-linear, and likewise setting it too high may do the same thing. In fact, I think there might be a point where setting the BL too high or too low may put the BL response itself into a non-linear state. Typically that is not a good thing, but it can be used to creatively set a knee on a gamma curve, if crudely.

The other thing to consider is energy efficiency. While I would never compromise PQ by having the BL too low, I try to use the lowest setting that is acceptable, because the BL is the primary controllable element in energy efficiency for a LCD or LED TV.

I set mine at 10-13. I think there is a natural human tendency to equate brighter with better, immediately without thinking, the same way speaker manufacturers used to tweak efficiency because in listening tests louder sounds better, at least at first. And that is your first natural instinct, that raising the overall image brightness seems, just at first, an improvement over a lower brightness level, and that lowering the brightness seems, just at first, a detriment to PQ. A similar thing happens with chroma levels; turning that up seems proper at the moment you first do that, and turning that down seems to be counter to what looks best at the moment that you first do that, but living with it for a moment reveals that a lower chroma level might also be more realistic than what most folks normally set their TVs to, and what they have grown used to.

That original tendency to overdo color and brightness is a human-nature rush to judgement based on first instinct, and is exactly the quality of human perception that has lead to "torch" mode on the showroom floor. And "acquired taste" is what separates us from the primates; we have the ability to judge critically based on more than just first blush. Our "reptile" brain probably lights up at a bright, colorful, ridiculously-unrealistic image, but the prefrontal cortex and exclusive higher human brain functions physically wrapped around our reptile brainstem can override that instinct by eventually appreciating color and brightness levels that are more like real life, if only given half a chance.

Here's a little experiment: Rise above, evolve beyond the first-instinct tendency. Ignore that first subconscious gut-instinct that whispers to you that less color or brightness is not as good as more color or brightness. If you are patient and take just a moment to savor a lower brightness level, it quickly begins to appear more realistic than a brighter level might. It just takes a moment to get accustomed to. It is a learned behavior instead of a reactive behavior, and that leads to better judgment and overall better PQ, IMHO. Then, savor just how much smarter we humans are than what we evolved from. The real bonus in all of that is that your TV will then not look like it was calibrated by a chimpanzee.

The good thing is that smart dimming still works with the BL down all the way, so "down all the way" is not really "off", just the lowest setting available (you can still see the BL through the vent holes in the back).

So the short advice is "pick what works best for you". I don't think there is a "wrong" setting for BL.

I'd just like to second TomCat's advice. I picked up an XVT553SV about two months ago.

Initially I was very confused about the backlight setting. I started with the CNET settings. The relevant ones were:

Backlight: 13
Brightness: 51
Contrast: 53
Color: 47

They didn't seem right to me. I wanted more punch. So I goosed the backlight up to about 65. Seemed satisfying for a while. Then I read something (forget where) about backlight being set low in a dark environment like mine. I decided to experiment.

To cut to the chase, over the last few weeks, I have been steadily backing things off. It seems that my eyes are getting trained to look for "natural" rather than "wow."

I have now settled down to:

Backlight: 13
Brightness: 51
Contrast: 53
Color: 42

The picture is warm and wonderful, and, to my eyes, natural. I've had no desire to make further modifications over the last two weeks.

I guess the moral is to take plenty of time and let your eyes tell you what to do. I think my experience is consistent with TomCat's advice. Just thought I would pass it along.

Cheers,

Burt
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post #4744 of 4769
4/27/12 at 9:17pm
I think this is a good example of the fact that taking someone else's settings doesn't always work, even if you have the same model. Using another's settings is a good way to start, but you have to keep in mind that your environmental settings are different from someone else's. You're always best to use a calibration disk to at least set the basics ( contrast, brightness, aspect, sharpness) which can make a big difference even without meters and software. The use of a bias light can also help considerably. However, the bottom line is whatever looks best to you is best.
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post #4745 of 4769
4/28/12 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by balpers View Post

I'd just like to second TomCat's advice...I guess the moral is to take plenty of time and let your eyes tell you what to do. I think my experience is consistent with TomCat's advice. Just thought I would pass it along.

Cheers,

Burt

Thanks, Burt; glad this is working for you. I didn't mean to get all that esoteric, but there really is a large psychological component in making these adjustments to our TV settings, and the overall thing I find really fascinating is how human perception and behavior works, and how we can use our noggins to override what are the basic instincts, to get a better result.

They say taste changes as you get older (and I literally am referring to actual "taste"). Coffee, escargot, and a lot of other things we could mention all taste pretty yucky to an 8-year-old, universally without fail. But 8-year-olds have not really developed all of their higher brain functions, and are much less likely to approach decisions with human care than they are to give in to basic instincts. If they had their way, all they would ever eat would be pizza, skittles, and ice cream. Only children would eat an entire bag of Halloween candy at once. Adults, who have more fully-formed brains, know better than to attempt that.

So I don't think it is really the physical taste that changes as much as it is the ability to look at things with a more sophisticated view. We all would like to have pizza, skittles, and ice cream too, but we know we would tire of that limited spectrum. And if we take the time to judge with our adult, fully-formed brains, calamari actually starts to taste pretty good.

That stuff about "reptile brain" is really true; we are not that far from acting like reptiles because our nervous system architecture contains all of that same infrastructure, just beneath the surface of our higher brain structure. You only have to look as far as the Trayvon Martin incident, parents going ballistic at little league games, and Alec Baldwin on the tarmac to see how primitive behavior is the first instinct, and how it is difficult to override.

Everything connects through the reptile brain first, and only if we act using the rest of our brains to override that, can we act civilized. But the evolved brain is not really in the path of those neurons firing instinctively; it is external to the path and can only modulate behavior by exerting an outside influence. If things go the way they should, this works for civilized humans most of the time.

IOW, we have to make the effort. That's what evolution is all about; better learned behavior prevailing over primitive instinctual behavior precisely because of our efforts, to the point where the better behavior eventually becomes instinctual and second nature, which betters the race.

All of that also applies to how to adjust your TV set, surprisingly enough. Our first natural reptile-brain instinct is to respond positively to light and to color (for those not limited to monochromatic retinas) so we instinctively feel that more of each is better. But more is not better, more is just brighter and more colorful. So we need to ignore that first instinct and apply a more-sophisticated eye to what we are adjusting. And that takes the same sort of discipline that keeps us from eating that entire bag of Halloween candy.

Bottom line, adjusting your TV has natural obstacles that run counter to what works best, and some of those obstacles are due to our first instincts about color and brightness. Once you realize all of that, it is easy to rise above those obstacles by ignoring their subconscious influences.

(Sorry if I went OT a little bit there)
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post #4746 of 4769
5/9/12 at 7:22pm
Has anyone had the picture freeze and the audio continue? This happens 2-4 times per week to my xvt553sv. Any help would be great.

Thanks
emd68
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post #4747 of 4769
5/10/12 at 7:18pm
I have had this problem a few times but not as frequent as you. I find my TV has been working much better since the last firmware update in late December.
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post #4748 of 4769
5/16/12 at 5:58pm
Just bought a used 42-inch version (XVT423SV) of this on Ebay. With total cost, plus 2 years square-trade warranty, I definitely got a great deal (removed price, as I see that it can't be discussed on here). Only concern is that there are a few scratches on the bezel, on the top left. Does anyone know what products/materials are best to try to remove them/smooth them out? Here's a link to it (I'm also hoping that the lighting is making the scratches look more apparent than they actually are):

http://postimage.org/image/s3ry73tw3/
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post #4749 of 4769
5/17/12 at 11:59am
has anyone found a good way to clean these screens that won't or doesn't leave residue all over?
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post #4750 of 4769
5/23/12 at 12:12am
Just bought this model direct from Vizio. Not sure I understand some of the specs as advertised and referenced on the internet compared to the owner's manual. IE: Refresh rate is said to be 240 Hz, but the owner's manual states 120 Hz. Speaker output is said to be 2 X 15 Watts, but the manual states 2 X 10 Watts. Not real important issues to some folks, but I am curious.
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post #4751 of 4769
7/6/12 at 5:07pm
How do you disable internet connectivity on the Vizio XVT553SV?
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post #4752 of 4769
7/10/12 at 7:04am
Anyone know if there's a way to tell if there's ever going to be another firmware update for this set? I asked Vizio if the set has reached EOL (end of life) and the guy just said that there will always be firmware updates. Which obviously isn't true because they won't be updating the firmware forever.
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post #4753 of 4769
7/17/12 at 11:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocky Estoppel View Post

How do you disable internet connectivity on the Vizio XVT553SV?

dont connect it to a wired or wireless network.
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post #4754 of 4769
8/26/12 at 2:34am
Anyone able to get DD 5.1 on Netflix using optical out? I get 5.1 through my PS3 and through Cable TV, just not Netflix. Am I missing a setting somewhere?
Thanx
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post #4755 of 4769
9/2/12 at 1:33pm
I asked the question some time ago since VUDU gave me digital audio but not Netflix. I don't remeber the specifics but the short answer is no. I think only PS3 and Apple TV process DD5.1 on Netflix.
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post #4756 of 4769
9/21/12 at 10:27pm
I had to re-do my network after my router gave up the ghost. I accidentally set up my XVT553SV as a wifi device, forgetting that I had already connected an ethernet cable. I can't see any way to cancel the wifi connection so that I can use the cable. Is there a way to do this without doing a full factory reset?

Thanks,

Burt
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post #4757 of 4769
9/22/12 at 7:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by balpers View Post

I had to re-do my network after my router gave up the ghost. I accidentally set up my XVT553SV as a wifi device, forgetting that I had already connected an ethernet cable. I can't see any way to cancel the wifi connection so that I can use the cable. Is there a way to do this without doing a full factory reset?
Thanks,
Burt

I've got the XVT373SV, but I don't see any option to switch between wired and wireless. However, mine is only setup for wired. If you have both defined, I would expect it to give you an option to choose which one to use. If not, I would expect it to automatically choose the best connection which would normally be the wired connection. If the TV doesn't allow you to change the connection, I think Guided Setup would probably be your best option. You might have to scan for channels again, but I don't think it would mess up your picture settings and stuff.

The following might be worth a shot:
1. Unplug or turn off the TV
2. Disconnect the ethernet from the TV
3. Turn off the router or block the wireless mac address for the TV
4. Turn on the TV
5. If the TV can't connect via wireless, it might give you an option to delete that connection

Good luck!
Edited by Rick313 - 9/23/12 at 1:19pm
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post #4758 of 4769
9/22/12 at 8:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick313 View Post

I've got the XVT373SV, but I don't see any option to switch between wired and wireless. However, mine is only setup for wired. If you have both defined, I would expect it to give you an option to choose which one to use. If not, I would expect it to automatically choose the best connection which would normally be the wired connection. If the TV doesn't allow you to change the connection, I think Guided Setup would probably be your best option. You might have to scan for channels again, but I don't think it would mess up your picture settings and stuff.
The following might be worth a shot:
1. Disconnect the ethernet from the TV
2. Unplug or turn off the TV
3. Turn off the router or block the wireless mac address for the TV
4. Turn on the TV
5. If the TV can't connect via wireless, it might give you an option to delete that connection
Good luck!

Thanks for the response. There is an option for a wired connection, but as soon as you establish a wifi connection, it is grayed out and inaccessible. I'll try the sequence you suggested and let you know what happens.

Burt
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post #4759 of 4769
10/1/12 at 6:49am
Hello,

I have tried the many settings posted in previous pages. However, I have an issue with dark scenes that appears to be blotchy during movies as well as live TV. Any ideas to fix this issue will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

mrcdsouza
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post #4760 of 4769
10/1/12 at 11:55pm
I recently purchased the 553 model and have it connected to the internet via wireless router. Does anyone know how I can get to a browser window so I can enter a music website I currently subscribe to? I am wondering if I need to purchase the Vizio Co-Star or similar add-on. Not even sure that will get me what I need. Thanks for any help.
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post #4761 of 4769
10/2/12 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Bill's Dog View Post

I recently purchased the 553 model and have it connected to the internet via wireless router. Does anyone know how I can get to a browser window so I can enter a music website I currently subscribe to? I am wondering if I need to purchase the Vizio Co-Star or similar add-on. Not even sure that will get me what I need. Thanks for any help.


Far as I know there is no browser built into any of the Vizio XVT3SV Series sets. I have 3 different models of the XVT3SV Series and none of them have a browser.
From what I see on the Vizio site the Vizio Co-Star has a web browser.
Edited by shvederick - 10/2/12 at 3:17pm
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post #4762 of 4769
10/2/12 at 11:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shvederick View Post

Far as I know there is no browser built into any of the Vizio XVT3SV Series sets. I have 3 different models of the XVT3SV Series and none of them have a browser.
From what I see on the Vizio site the Vizio Co-Star has a web browser.

Thank you for your input. I think I need to go to a local retailer to check out the Co-Star or equivalent. I guess I was hoping that maybe a future software app. upgrade might include a browser. But then, I suppose there wouldn't be much demand for the Co-Star.
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post #4763 of 4769
12/30/12 at 11:22am
I apologize for necro'ing an old thread, but this seems to be the best place to ask this. After exhaustive searching, I've not been able to determine if the HDMI inputs on these TV's (I have an XVT553SV) support the full range RGB 0-255 or only limited 16-235, or if there is a way to change it. Does anybody have any information on this?
Thank you in advance.
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post #4764 of 4769
12/31/12 at 10:12pm
It supports both as far as I know. The only way I know to change between the two is with whatever device you're using to play the media. For example I can select either one with my PS3 and also when using my HTPC I can select either one via the settings of my video player software.
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post #4765 of 4769
3/31/13 at 5:24pm
I wish I had the technical chops to explain in a phrase what I am experiencing on my XVT553SV. Here's the best I can do.

Up until a month ago, we had no complaints about the picture quality. While we were watching we heard a pop in the set, followed by about 10 seconds of snow. The picture returned, but, since then it has seemed seriously degraded. Intermittently, the picture is washed out. It looks like an analog set on which the brightness control has been pushed too high. It is not as bad as SD, but not much better.

Some words to describe the picture:
Noisy.
Fuzzy.
Slightly out of focus.
Soft.
Washed out.

In addition, the other night we were watching red movie credits against a black background. The text was surrounded by pink cloud. (Is this what people mean when they talk about "blooming"?)

The set is almost exactly one month past Vizio warranty. However, it is also protected by a SquareTrade warranty.
  1. Should I call Vizio at this point or go right to SquareTrade?
  2. Are there any technical terms to describe what I am seeing so that customer service will understand what I am talking about?
  3. Has anyone else experienced this kind of problem?

TIA,

Burt
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post #4766 of 4769
3/31/13 at 6:10pm
Sounds like a capacitor or something blew if you heard a pop. I'd give Vizio a call just to see what they say. One month out of warranty and they may replace it with a new (probably refurb) set. Otherwise, SquareTrade is your best option depending on what the warranty covers. Good luck getting it fixed. Vizio doesn't seem to have a stellar reputation for repairing sets due to the quality of build.
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post #4767 of 4769
4/1/13 at 6:38pm
Never had this problem. But I would call Vizio anyway first. The inside of that tv is made up of component modules. It may only require the replacement of a module as opposed to a whole set. I had an issue when I first bought my set with hdmi handshake. I called Vizio who was aware of the problem. They shipped a new board to a local tech who came to my house took apart the tv and replaced board in the set. Took about 45 minutes. They probably know what is wrong with the set based on your symptoms. Hopefully they will just do the same for you as they did for me. It seems it would be terrible customer service to not help you when only a month out of warranty. You still have the square trade warranty as back up. I would not mention the square trade warranty when talking to Vizio. They will probably want you to fax them a copy of your receipt. Good luck.
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post #4768 of 4769
5/21/13 at 7:12pm
My 473SV went "dark" this week after two years of daily trouble free use. This week it suddenly just faded to a faintly lit grey screen with the sound still working. At that point nothing on the remote works except the power button. When the unit is powered on again it goes through the alternating orange/white light for a while and dimly lights the screen but the Vizio logo never appears and it ultimately just ends at the blank grey/black screen.

A few times the logo has appeared and last night the TV managed to boot up all the way and showed about 20 seconds of video before fading out again, still with sound.

Any known issues with this series or ideas? Searching around returns all kinds of possibilities...main board, inverter board, power supply board, capacitors, fuses, etc.

Out of warranty by a few months.

Thanks!
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post #4769 of 4769
5/31/13 at 10:08am
Quick question re 5.1 surround sound for all my fellow XVTxx3SV owners:

Will I be able to get 5.1 surround sound with the Vizio VIZIO S4251w-B4 5.1 Soundbar when using my TV as the only input into the soundbar? A bit more detail: I am running HDMI from my HTPC to the TV and want to know if, when playing 5.1 movies from my HTPC the soundbar will play 5.1 or stereo? Or will I need to run audio into the soundbar separately?
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