Vizio M3D550KD - Page 8

I just programmed my Logitech Harmony 550 remote for this TV and the basic functions work! All I really care about is powering it up and switching to HDMI 1 input since I have an AVR which controls volume and input switching for the BluRay, etc.

Hmm. So maybe only the keyboard is bluetooth.

"Using the 3-D version of the movie (I can see how the colors are slightly out of alignment on the 3-D version)"

well, honestly, when mine is in 3d the pic doesnt look all that different than normal (weirds me out, but it works). another really dumb question, but have you put on the glasses when you see this "misalignment?" it may actually be working fine. mine kicks into 3d automatically when 3d content is coming thru so no "selection" is necessary.

I can see the misalignment with and without the glasses. It's like a badly-printed newspaper where the colors are out of alignment. Not much, maybe 1/4 inch or so, depending upon whether the thing you're looking at is in the back ground or the foreground.

Sounds to me like "simulated 3D" (whatever that is) could be your problem with a real 3D tv. I'd get a real 3D player like a Panasonic BDT-210 (last year's model) or the new 220. Those are full functioning 3D Blu-ray players. You can always return it if it doesn't work. However, if that's the case, then it may be the 3D circuitry in your Vizio and not the blu-ray player. As far as the 3D compatible cables go, it could be that the cables are made to High Speed standards (hence 3D compatible), in that technically they are capable of passing a 3D signal to a 3D compatible tv, but if they are not certified for that speed/frequency and length, they will have issues.

Which 3D movies are you trying to play back? If they're not actual 3D Bluray format discs, they will not play correctly on a 3D Bluray player. Anaglyph 3D movies exhibit the color misalignment that you mentioned seeing, but the 3D Bluray movies that are compatible with your equipment would not. Your Sony is a true 3D Bluray player, and any HDMI cable listed as "High Speed" should meet the specs for 3D signal transmission. Check the labels on the movie packaging to see if they mention anything about "red/blue" or "red/cyan" glasses. If they do, they're not the type of 3D movie you want.

Here are the 2 movies:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Final-Destination-Blu-ray-3D/dp/B004YJMQCS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

and

http://www.amazon.com/Cats-Dogs-Revenge-Three-Disc-Blu-ray/dp/B0046HBKUC

I bought both movies used.

I think you are onto something with the red / blue glasses. The movie Final Destination came with a pair of paper 3-D glasses that have one red lens and one green lens. I tried them and the 3-D effect is there, but it looks awful, IMO. I just "assumed" that the Vizio 3-D glasses would work as well. But they don't. One of the Amazon reviewers complained about this fact:

The other movie, Cats and Dogs was supposed to come with 3 discs, but I only got 2. So I think maybe I didn't get the 3-D version.

I didn't know there were so many formats for 3-D. So at the end of the day, chalk it up to a combination of ignorance, stinginess, bad luck, and operator error. Problem solved, thanks for the help.
Edited by losamigos - 10/4/12 at 9:49am

Check your local Best Buy store...3D Bluray titles are on average $35 per disc, but they often have $19.99 specials. Here are a few titles that are currently available:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Underworld%3A+Awakening+-+Blu-ray+3D/5086212.p?id=2410161&skuId=5086212&st=3D%20Bluray&lp=10&cp=1
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/The+Adventures+of+Tintin+-+Blu-ray+3D/4843668.p?id=2385850&skuId=4843668&st=3D%20Bluray&lp=13&cp=1
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Immortals+-+Blu-ray+3D/4826431.p?id=2390800&skuId=4826431&st=3D%20Bluray&lp=15&cp=1

Good luck, and enjoy your 3D TV!

This TV is no longer listed on Costco's website, and I see further back up the thread that there is a new model out. Are they still in stores, though, or have they all been replaced by the KDE model?

I was just in Sam's Club and though they don't have any on display they did have (3) M3D550KD left on the shelf. The Vizio Site says "sold out."

Bulb died in my 8 year-old JVC again, so time to replace it.

Trying to decide between getting a Sam's Club membership tomorrow and picking up the Vizio M3D550KD or ordering the the Panasonic TC-L55ET5 for the same price from Amazon.
(or seeing if Best Buy will price match Amazon on the Panasonic so I wouldn't have to wait until Wednesday....yeah right!)

Also trying to figure out what the difference is between the Vizio M3D550KD and the Vizio M3D550SL
(other than the remote (looks like 55" KDE still has boxy slide remote according to PDF manual) and the refresh rate, though it sounds like the KD's refresh rate really isn't 240hz)
Edited by thedvdguy - 10/5/12 at 5:55am

Will this TV stream the 3d youtube videos in 3d?

It says 240hz right on the box, but I don't believe it. After owning the set for a few weeks, I would guess it's probably 120 hz. It also says 10,000,000 to 1 "dynamic" contrast ratio (whatever that is) but I don't believe that this is accurate either.

Still, it's a good value, and definitely better than any other TV I saw in the $1099 price range. There are some Samsungs that cost twice as much that clearly had a better picture. The thing is, while the price is twice as much, the picture is only (to me) maybe 10-20% better, and that's not what I call either a value or a bargain.

It's clearly only 120Hz. It also says "SPS." It's Vizio's "simulated" 240Hz refresh-rate.

Yes. Viewing quality of course depends on the source material, resolution used, and how well the person created the 3D image.

I just saw it in my local Costco for $899 today. It said "Sell Through" on the shelf label, and I am guessing that they are moving the last stock to make room for the newer models.

Still $1099 at my local Costco.

Ok. I had the 55" 0KD and loved everything about it, including 3-D, except the slight light-leakage on the right side of the screen. I returned and went with the 55" EH6000 from Samsung. I returned that due to bad PQ and popping noises when I turned on and off. I currently have LN46D630 from Samsung. Initially I was very impressed with the set overall. Great PQ and great aesthetics. After having it a few weeks I can't stand it. I still love the PQ but the Motion Resolution is downright terrible! With the motion settings to high, medium, low, or off it judders like crazy and can't find a fix. It's like that on everyone's D630. I was hoping Samsung would listen to my request and fix via firmware update but my 30 day return window is almost closed and I don't know if I want to keep the D630 in hope of a firmware update and it never happens. This TV is going to be a "get me by" tv until I get the Sony HX950 in early '13. I'm hoping to find the 47" 0KD but haven't had any luck seeing any at my local Sam's Club. Are they done with the 47"? Any differences in light-leakage between the 47" and 55" sets?

I can't speak to manufacturing, but my Costco still has 4 of the M3D470KD in stock. I bought the 47" ($749.99, plus square trade extended warranty) last night after two failed attempts by Costco Concierge service to repair a defective panel in my Panasonic TC-P46GT24.

So far, I have only one evening of watching the TV, but with pasty face coloring that was obviously not right plus a noticeable soap opera effect. Today, I adjusted to the CNET color correction and the set looks tons better than either out of the box pasty-face coloring of the "normal" setting or the washed-out look of the "cool" setting. As an aside, Color Enhancement on "Normal" warms up faces a touch with a slight boost to color saturation and no noticeable-to-me color shifting. But as of this writing, I have it turned off. Otherwise, this evening I'll be using the CNET setting with the exceptions of 45/45 instead of 43/43 for backlight and brightness.

Regarding the "soap opera effect": at factory setting for backlight and smooth motion effect on, the soap opera effect is ridiculous. Turning the Smooth Motion Effect off helps some but I can't get it reduced to acceptable levels until backlight is also less than 50. I'm optimistically anticipating that tonight's viewing experience will demonstrate a marked improvement over last night's.

I had no problem with a logitech 650. remote worked great.

Both the Vizio and Costco websites show the M3D550KD in stock again.

It's listed on Amazon again as well, though at $100 more than Costco.

Bought the 55" version of this tv and I had to bring it back. The blooming was incredibly distracting. During even the most mildly dark scenes there was a constant pop and bloom around the screen. read some rereviews and they said the blooming was not significant. If you are picky about PQ like I am I would recommend avoiding this model. Blooming is very significant.

I had the same thing, at least until I looked up some settings and entered them in. The stock settings for this TV are really awful, IMO, but tweaking them a bit produces some pretty impressive results.

Was at Costco today and saw no M3D550KD's on display. However, there were 2 different 240hz Samsung sets on display that had been marked way down to $1199 or thereabouts, from an original price of $2000 or so. They looked noticeably better than my M3D550KD, so I would not be surprised if people began buying these instead of this (by comparison) "subpar" set.

What were the model #s of the 240Hz Samsungs?

I didn't write the numbers down down, but there were two of them marked way down that were both 240hz Samsungs, coming in at around $1200.

EDIT: And they were both 55" TV's.

Im interested in this TV, anyone know the difference between the M3D550KD and the "new" M3D550KDE?

Looks like the new one has a lower contrast ratio (down from 10 million to one to one million to one) and a lower claimed refresh rate (120hz vs. 240 hz). There may be other differences, but those are the two I noticed.

I think these specs were bogus for the M3D550KD, but the M3D550KDE I saw at Costco yesterday looked noticeably worse than my M3D550KD. I would probably avoid this set, seems like it's not as good a value as the M3D550KD.

But if you have a Costco in your area, definitely check out those 55 inch 240hz Samsungs they have on sale.

I wouldn't put too much stock in contrast ratio as it's mostly just made up by the manufacturer and not really supported by any technical read-outs or such. I had the M3Dxx0KD and did not notice any discernable difference in the claimed 240Hz than a regular 120Hz set. Also, the M3Dxx0KD was a 240Hz SPS, (simulated 240Hz). The 0KDE doesn't have local dimming either which could be a good thing since the 0KD had issues with black levels (grey more than black). I've never seen the 0KDE but I might take a look at it this wknd.