Official Sharp Elite PRO-70X5 and 60X5 Owners Thread - Page 48

No pics, but I can tell you that my room has glass all around and skylights above and we watched football on a beautifully sunny Sunday and reflections were not an issue.

Watching the later game at night, I did turn off 1 light behind me that was a minor nuisance.

We use the Optimum setting for sports...it puts our more light than ISF day and frankly provides a more engaging experience (to us). The Dynamic setting puts out even more but will aslo tan the back of your retinas.

Ken: All I can say is that the blocks in the Chaney shot look a bit more medium blue and less glass like than what I saw on the Elite this AM. Viewed with the 37" Samsung LCD I use as a PC monitor. Regarding the calibration I did, all DEs ended up slightly below or above 1. The shootout is this weekend. If the Elite's CMS is that far off, some pro should catch it.

Yup. Certainly based on my calibrated computer monitor as well as my ISF'd Pioneer Kuro (2 of them), it's pretty apparent to me that the color in question is not being produced correctly on the Elite. I should also mention that the Sony 929 did reproduce that color correctly.

Further, as I mentioned before, the issue becomes pretty glaring when looking at something like a FIOS TV Guide. Colors that are clearly leaning purplish in the guide as shown on the Kuro, lean much more toward the blue on the Elite.

Something just doesn't seem quite right to my eyes...at least in that part of the spectrum.

Just a note here that I have a case opened with Elite support to get those discrete power on/power off codes for those of us with IR remotes that want to be able to use macro's and what have you that require discrete codes. They are aware of earlier requests apparently (mine included) and are "working on producing an IR code list". No time table is available, blah blah blah, but they said they would notify me immediately when they get the list together for customers. They had issues apparently with what they thought were good discrete codes. Go figure! I let them know I was not at all impressed with the delays on this, as the TV has been on the market for well over a month now and this is basic, easy stuff for their engineering team to produce. She agreed, and put an urgent note on the case supposedly. We'll see what comes of it, but just wanted to make note of it here.

-Brian

Thanks Brian- My entire system in URC based. Did you use the Pioneer 141FD codes from the URC database? I had heard rumor that they work for the direct input selections. I'll try and search for your layout file here.

Went to Magnolias yesterday and checked out the New Sharp Elite, nice LCD, but I did notice some lag in some of the scenes of the Avatar "loop" that was playing on it, would I get rid of my PRO151FD for the new Sharp Elite, NO, for an $8000 set, there should be no flaws, especially the one I witnessed. Plus $8000 for a TV in today's economy, they will sell some, but no the numbers that they are hoping. Well Sharp is a huge company and can absorb some loses, unlike Pioneer that could not with their Kuro lineup of PDP's.

As for LED or LCD, it still can not compete with phosphor based Panels, don't care how many gimicks they throw at that technology.

Found your post- giving it a bump

If you can, please put some text in your original post and over at Remote Central with "Elite PRO70X5FD Discrete IR codes URC" or something like that so it is easily findable in Google. Both this site and Remote Central allow Google to index their pages. I was searching google earlier today and nothing came up. Thanks again for your efforts and contribution.

Does your MX950 editor allow you to save the file out as an .mxd or .mxf device file? It is in .mxa format, so will probably only work with an mx950 remote. I tried my MX850, MX900, KP900 editors with no luck. I'll try and see if the Universal Complete Control suite will open it and allow exporting.

UPDATE:
You can open Brian's .mxa file with the "universal browser" feature included on just about all MX Editor software programs for the various URC remotes. I just opened it up in my MX850 editor. You cannot use the same screen layout as Brian created, but, you can drag / drop the commands from the file via the Universal Browser window into your remote. Just create a new device for the Elite, open the mxa file in the Universal Browser window, and grab the commands by dragging or copy / paste.

You can only directly import the .mxa file and use the layout screens if you also have the same MX950 remote.

UPDATE2:
Only some codes will copy over from the universal browser window. Codes that show up as learned will copy over. codes that show up as "preprogrammed" will not copy over- Just a heads up. Brian if you can list which exact codes you used from the URC database for your functions, those can be easily grabbed.

amen..................

Settings must have been messed up, or they were using a cheap BD player? cheap BD cable? I watched at some length Avatar on the Elite 70 fed by an Elite BD player at the Magnolia near my house, no lag at all. And I was expecting to see some lag, none present. Everything was default and set to THX mode, 2D version of Avatar.

They had it hooked up to a Pioneer Elite receiver and Pioneer Elite BD, everything top notch, like I said, it was a nice LED/LCD, but still has ways to go to catch up to the Kuro, and motion lag was there, hell I went straight home and popped in Avatar on my 151, and it looked magnificent with NO motion lag, or off axis dimming.

Amen, and hence why URC is a pain in the ass! Okay, I feel better now...seriously though, yes, it is true, my .mxa device config file will only work with the MX-950...don't blame me guys, I really wanted to output it in different formats, blame URC for the crappy way they pigeonholed their software releases for years. Can't use one device's config with another, at least in the case of the MX-950 and some others. So yeah, Universal Browser is the way to get around it...didn't realize it only worked with Learned commands though...the whole benefit of my config is that most of it was not Learned, it was directly from the 141FD, and simply relabelled for ease of use...trimming out the buttons on the 141FD that don't exist on the Elite, etc.

So, a quick list of commands in my config that were "Programmed", not "Learned":

-most importantly, all the discrete Input commands (1 through 8)
-AV Mode
-View Mode
-Input toggle
-Return
-Display
-Freeze
-Power
-All cursor movement buttons
-Number keys (with the exception of the new decimal point on the Elite)
-Exit
-Menu
-Power Control (the power settings page)

Yep, and I've watched Avatar in 2D and the 3D version (the exclusive Panasonic release), and I can tell you there is no lag at all. But I have a calibrated Elite and watch in ISF Night or 3D Movie modes (both calibrated) and you may have been looking at flaws in the way they mucked with their THX mode settings, or god knows what kind of crap sandwich of a setup they have there. I can tell you it is not representative of this set. Not in the least. But if it makes you feel better to have a closed mind and assume that's all she wrote on this set after 1 viewing of flawed settings, that's certainly fine with me. Ignorance is bliss as they say.

-Brian

I've seen no lag either watching Avatar. There was obviously something not set properly.

I went to a special demo of the TV last weekend, the dealer told me they were told to demo the TV in Elite Pure mode and not THX.

Did they tell you why?

I had a similar experience. When I went to look at it, I practically had to beg to get them to change any mode or setting! The Elite Pure mode is far brighter with pumped up colors. Makes it "pop" more for in-store demo competing with all the other "torch-mode" sets. I still need to go back and try turning off all the motion enhancements including film mode to make sure the SOE can be eliminated. I really don't like Magnolia for looking at these sets and I'm waiting to find a local b&m to view one.

Remember that within any picture setting, the image you're seeing is simply the default setting. Any of these settings, including Elite Pure, can be adjusted for a far better image than the default settings.

It would be an interesting experiment to have a finely tuned Elite in store and if that would make any difference in sales.

the Magnolia guy by me said they were waiting for the set to break in...well running 16 hours a day for 2 weeks..shouldn't that be enough..it looks and lags god awful....I accessed the controls from the side panel and changed the mode to THX when they weren't looking..that helped as it was in Dynamic..I then put it in Optimum and left it there

JimP, I went to a Magnolia near my house and it was "calibrated" by one of the "ISF calibrators" working at there. (Take that for what it's worth) Regardless, it wasn't in torch-mode and looked a lot more accurate than any other settings that I played around with, so it did have some validity. But, when I was talking to the associate assisting me he said, "We felt like we wanted to show people the most they could get out of this TV if and when they bought it."

Switching back and forth from THX mode and the calibrated mode, the THX movie mode looked flat and washed out. Colors and details and especially the contrast were vastly improved over the THX mode. They were natural looking and had the right amount of vibrancy. I asked to see a couple of scenes from films I was very familiar with on my calibrated Pro-151 and I definitely saw the same "calibrated" characteristics. Although, it is hard to say it was 100% calibrated correctly, at least the effort was made and it made a world of difference.

Did you notice if it was actually in "ISF" mode as opposed to being calibrated in other modes?

Are you in NYC?


Djoel

the store is in Hartsdale NY....just outside of White Plains about 30 miles north of NYC

If you're in Hartsdale at a crap BestBuy/Magnolia, why not drive 15 more minutes to Scarsdale and see what the set can actually really do over at Value Electronics? They have calibrated 60 and 70 inch Elites. Why on earth anyone would put their faith in a BestBuy on an item this specialized is beyond me. Ridiculous. I'm not telling you btw to buy it, but do yourself a favor and actually view it with a properly calibrated setup before making judgments on the quality and/or value to you the potential buyer.

-Brian

Thanks..




Yeah I would be in that store for every important release too.Robert would have need to systematically remove my arss

Djoel

Yesterday I paid my second visit to my local Best Buy to see the 70″ PRO-70X5FD. This time around I brought a few of my own BDs and DVDs being curious how good familiar discs would look even under the horrible display conditions set up in this store. Before I watched anything, I set the video mode to THX. Needless to say, the 70″ PRO-70X5FD should be many steps above my first generation 5o" Panasonic TH-50PHD5UY plasma. Also included in the setup was a Pioneer Elite BDP-43FD BD player. I have the Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD behemoth at home, so that nod goes to me I think, though my DVD up-conversion is limited to 480p due to my inability to use HDMI.

All that said as an introduction I would like to hear from PRO-70X5FD and PRO-60X5FD owners specifically regarding their impressions of SD material - DVDs, SD extras on BDs and SD cable/satellite channels.

My own impressions are not so positive == there was nothing I saw which seemed demonstrably better than what I'm used to at home. Mind you I know I'm not seeing a side by side comparison, but I KNOW HD BDs clearly look orders of magnitude better on the PRO-70X5FD as compared to my poor old Panasonic. Should I expect less or at best more or less the same from SD source material?

Also, what is the simplest way to switch the PRO-70X5FD to 4:3 mode when viewing a BD SD 4:3 extra feature or a DVD with SD 4:3 content?

Thanks!

BTW, the discs I had with me were ...

BD
- Animusic (also contains SD 4:3 extra feature content)
- Black Narcissus (1947, the most glorious BD transfer of an older Technicolor film I've ever seen)

DVD
- Trafic (Jacques Tati's 1971 film, not the film you may be thinking of)
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938 B&W)

I chose them mostly because I had recently watched them at home.

Just got back from seeing the 60 Elite. This tv was ISF calibrated and in a dedicated home theater room. I have to say it is a very nice LED. Best I've seen. But the only place I really noticed a difference between this set and my 500m is on a completely black screen in a completely dark room. This Elite was sweet in that setting. I did notice some funky artifact in the blu-ray demo. It might of been DSE. But it could of been from who knows what. The price was decent with delivery and an ISF calibration. But I think for the little difference I noticed. I'm going to wait for prices to come down further and give my 500M a little more use. But I think I found my next tv in a year or so.

Interesting how early on people were saying how great THX mode was and how accurate. Now it seems like THX mode is far off from calibrated ISF mode.
Any place other than BB around Atlanta to see one?

Coming from my 151, I wouldn't consider upgrading to this set from a kuro unless you are doing so to move up in size. I've been waiting for a 70" set for three years and have been holding out for something that's in the PQ ballpark as my 151. Holding out for final confirmation of my belief that the elite is via this weekend's shoot-out and then I'm off to the three different BBs in my area to bargain away.