Official Sharp Elite PRO-70X5 and 60X5 Owners Thread - Page 358

Hopefully this is OK since there is way too many posts in the Darbee thread over in video processor section and I'm primarily only interested in getting Elite owners' feedback. I received my Darbee yesterday and hook it up. It does appear to increase sharpness and some detail... however the depth and pop look about the same. Is this other Elite and Darbee owners are experiencing?

Congrats! I would actually try Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince as well as Aliens vs Predator Requiem on Blu-ray. Both are torture tests for black levels. It's amazing how much more detail you will see in the shadows. I never really noticed it until I got this set, and now my Samsung LN52A750 seems murky in the dark areas.

Regarding the Darbee, I am using it on a 70X5 and am very happy with the results. The better the source material the better the results in improved detail and depth. Generally use HD at 50 and set about 8-9 feet from screen. If you do not see a depth improvement, particularly in peoples faces and backgrounds with lots of objects (trees etc.), I would suspect your sets gamma hasn't been calibrated or perhaps recheck contrast and brightness settings. Improved depth perception is one of the main features of the Dardee.

Is your set calibrated? If not what do you have your gamma, contrast, and brightness settings at? Thanks

that is correct.. The problem has been history... in past generations, calibrating the Sharps gave less than desired results and very frustrating experiences. To this day, many Calibrators are refusing to even work on them.. others may go for THX only but on the models that have them, the ISFccc Interface is what's getting the best results from the Calibrators that have the proper tools and in fact, don't flat out pass on the Sharp jobs, period.... You only need to ask Calibrators like Kevin Miller or Chad Billheimer, who have probably have done more of these recent Sharps (and ISFccc) than anyone.. or ask the owners (like Ken Ross) who have had their display calibrated by these guys.. I'm trying to get the word out, but it's an uphill battle due to the past experiences/past generations.. Calibrators simply have a 'bad taste' in their mouth in regards to Sharps.. no need to fear though with the current generations, Sharp has made progress, again assuming the right tools are used..

If you want a a name of a Calibrator (besides the two I already mentioned) with the proper tools, shoot me a PM and your location (including complete model info)... Have a Calibrator you'd like to use? PM and I'll contact that calibrator.
Edited by turbe - 8/28/12 at 3:27pm

Chad is at my house as we speak doing a cal on my two Sharps ;-)

I know.. say hi to Chad for me.. let him know we are watching him live via the net and that bookshelf camera you have placed

Thanks for your feedback. I also use HD mode set at 45-55. Sitting about 10-11 feet back. I also have the 70X5 and currently using CNETs settings. I only spent about 20 minutes watching Speed Racer and Avatar so maybe more seat time is in order?

Just buy "lens quality" micro fiber that's sold for telescopes, cameras, and glasses.

It was thrown in with my purchase, if I had paid for it I would be pissed. I was just happy to get the clown out of my house. Calman showed blue push across the board, he asked if I knew what the easiest color for the human eye to see and I said green. He then said "No it's blue, that's why the blue is set so high". He kept on babbling the entire "25 minutes" of the calibration. I will buy Calman DIY and do it myself.

Lewis, first let me begin by thanking you for all your comments and advice... Much appreciated!

Turns out you were absolutely right and with a bit more insistence, the Elite customer service came back and approved a replacement for my 60" Elite tv.

So, because I had bought from BestBuy (their preferred distributor) they issued the replacement via BB. The very next day (last week) I was at the store scheduling a visit.
They replaced the TV early this week: they picked the old one up when they delivered the new one. And although not great, the new set is vastly improved over the old one...

old elite.jpeg 1334k .jpeg file
newelite.jpg 1446k .jpg file

Just bear in mind that these are patterns and the worst offenders at that. However, that bright vertical line in the center (of the old Elite), that ran from top to bottom, was visible during normal viewing conditions.
The new set is certainly not perfect, and as I've stated to sharp, I didn't expect these large screen TVs to be perfectly uniform, but that thin bright vertical band on the old one was beyond the "normal" banding I see around (including my new Elite).
Someone else posted a pic and his elite had the most pronounced bands at the very same location as (both of) mine did. Seems like some artefact from their manufacturing process, at least with the 60".

Anyway, I'll set the pattern disc aside and just watch some quality tv for a change. Well, until it's time for calibration...
BTW, I've just picked up a new Panasonic BDT500, which I like so far - pretty good build quality.

avsforum rocks!

My set has been calibrated. I recommend anyone willing to pay what an Elite costs make the small added investment in professional calibration. It's well worth it.

Yes. Do an on and off comparison especially of peoples faces. If you watch the Today show, watch how the "beaks" of the two main hosts grow when the Darbee is on and how skin blemishes become more apparent. With the Darbee makeup is less effective.

Hi All,

Turbe is right on the money. There was a period of several years where I literally refused calibration jobs on Sharp TVs because it was an exercise in futility. I have been consulting with Sharp for several years now ever since the introduction of the Quatron series which were terrible in the first generation and have improved dramatically since.

I have had good success with the ISF ccc implemention on the Elites and have now done well over 50 of them. I have had a few problematic ones though and in one case had the client get it replaced because I could not get the results I am used to achieving.

ok i took the plunge just ordered the 70x5fd from value eletronics should be getting it by next wednesday .there going to be sending out two tecs with the free set up but what i'd like to know is there a big difference from having it professinonally calibrated or not.

And now for something slightly different...

http://m.youtube.com/results?q=sony%2084%20inch%204k#/watch?v=OB1IrRXQWAg

Just read the writeup for this beast on Cnet's website: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57502521-221/sony-releases-first-4k-tv-the-84-inch-xbr-84x900/

Two things that absolutely shock me about this. The first being the price. $31,000!!!!! Are you kidding me Sony??? The second thing is the fact that the tv is not even full array, it's edge lit. Again, really Sony???? You're going to make an 84" LED with passive 3D that you claim is better than full HD, charge over $30,000 and it's still edge lit. That's like making a freaking ferarri with a 4 cylinder engine. Oh well. I still want one

I had Value Electronics calibrate mine and I was not particularly happy with having the set professionally calibrated. But I am definitely in the minority. I feel is is too dark and flat but I like a bright picture.
Most everyone else seems to think it adds a great deal to the viewing experience.
Welcome to the Elite home.

Read the last page or so for comments on calibration. Since VE has access to some very good calibrators, I would have them do it before the set is delivered. You would have to wait a few extra days since, If I remember correctly, they would want to have 100 hours on the set before calibration.

Experiment with the set's gamma settings. You might like the results.

I've said this before and was attacked by a few, and it seems CNET is saying it here: "That difference begs the question: is 4K worthwhile in and of itself, or are the benefits of all those extra pixels even visible from normal seating distances? We won't know for sure until we can test it out in person, but let's just say we're quite skeptical. Geoff Morrison's "Why 4K TVs are stupid" lays out the reasons."

I actually read that article and found it to be quite interesting. My issue with the price isn't really even in regards to the 4K. My issue is with the fact that they would make such an expensive tv with a pretty impressive feature set and still have an edge lit technology running it. Just seems silly to me.

Maybe the huge number of local dimming zones needed would make it a $49K ticket ...

Yikes!!! I don't even want to think about any company trying to charge consumers that much for a tv.

Nah, that's MSRP - street price would be a much more palatable $30K

Are they buiding them before or after the sale?

I agree totally...

But this is based on movies and tv watching. Hooking up an HTPC or gaming on a computer where you sit a bit closer reading text might be quite useful. I am hoping for an affordable local dimming or OLED display at this size with 4k resolution.

Amazing picutures!!!

Need some help....

Using GAME mode (or THX with CNET or Rad's settings, going to do calibration in september), what I notice in this:


1. First, I am still stunned as is my wife by the picutre
2. When playing some games that have amazing bright/dark areas with DX11, when the image goes "dark" some/few bright areas seem fine. But it is almost like if 90% of the scene is dark it "crushes" the dark areas.

However, DARK areas when most of hte screen is bright look amazing (like in the photos). Is this due to IVC (the active contrast is off) or just plain calibration or potentially the OPC for power saving?