Sony GWIII Owners thread - Page 3

Here are the results of my first attempts to tweak the user menu with Digital Video Essentials (DVE). The setting bars in the GWIII user menu have 64 positions, and I'm counting the lowest position as 1 here, not zero. So the full range is 1-64. This is how umr does it in his tweaks document.

For 480p, 720p, and 1080i, I've modified Standard and Pro as follows:

Mode: Standard
Picture: 80% (51 ticks)
Brightness: 67% (43 ticks)
Color: 44% (28 ticks)
Hue: 47% (30 ticks)
Sharpness: 50% (32 ticks)
Color Temp: Warm
NR: Off
Mild Mode: On

Mode: Pro
Picture: 88% (56 ticks)
Brightness: 61% (39 ticks)
Color: 44% (28 ticks)
Hue: 47% (30 ticks)
Sharpness: 50% (32 ticks)
Color Temp: Warm
NR: Off
Mild Mode: On

For 480i sources, I modify the following settings from what you see above:

Mild Mode: Off
DRC Mode: High Dens.
DRC Palette: Reality = 1, Clarity = 100
BN Smoother: Off


My Pro settings definitely have more shadow detail than my Standard settings. This was especially apparent in the DVE grayscale ramps. Even at identical user menu settings, Pro just does a much better job showing the different gradiations of near black.

I haven't done that much testing with different material, but my Standard settings seem to be better than Pro for SD, I'm not sure why. Pro looks a little too blurry. If I turn on CineMotion for SD, both Standard and Pro get too blurry. I'm also unsure about the NR and BN Smoother settings. With DirecTV SD, I couldn't notice any difference when changing these, so I left them off.

For HD, I think my Pro settings look a little better than Standard, but they're pretty close. When switching between Pro and Standard (the remote Picture button is great for this), I can see some shadow details come to life when switching to Pro.

These Standard 480i settings look very good for 480i videogames. I haven't tried a 480p or 720p game since making the changes.

Other than DVE, I didn't test any DVDs, so I'm not sure which setting is better there. I would suspect Pro is better, at least for progressive scan.

Quick tip if you didn't realize it, when in a user menu, you can press the Reset button on the remote to revert to the default settings. For example, if you're modifying the Pro settings, hitting the Reset button will change the Pro settings back to their factory defaults.

EDIT: My latest settings are in this thread:

GWIII and DVE

I'll keep my post in that thread edited to reflect any changes I make to the user menu settings.

Boy, that's tempting - maybe give it a shot when I finally get my set.

David

DLiquid,


It sounds like your customized mode settings are staying the same for each different video input. There was a card in my instruction booklet that said you could customize all three modes separately for each video input 1-7 (wonder if they added that option later, because it wasnt in the instruction booklet itself) Is yours doing that? Just wondering, as I havent had a chance to try it out. Right now I just have my cable hooked up to the coax connection, which isnt one of the video inputs (1-7) and the mode parameters for the coax source change when I change video 6 (DVD player).

Shus.

No, it's not. The Standard settings are the same across all inputs. Certain things stick for an input, such as the Mild Mode and DRC settings, but if I change the Picture setting in Standard when watching a DVD in 480p, it also changes for 480i S-Video and 720p DVI.

I just checked, and I have that "Notice: Picture Mode Setting" sheet too, which says:


Hmm....

I just assumed Vivid was the "torch mode" for showrooms. It's default settings don't look very good to me, but maybe I'll try tweaking it with DVE.


That would be awesome if you shared your settings. I'd like to tweak the service menu at some point, and ISF calibrated SM and UM settings would be a great starting point.

[quote]Originally posted by DLiquid
No, it's not. The Standard settings are the same across all inputs. Certain things stick for an input, such as the Mild Mode and DRC settings, but if I change the Picture setting in Standard when watching a DVD in 480p, it also changes for 480i S-Video and 720p DVI.

I just checked, and I have that "Notice: Picture Mode Setting" sheet too, which says:



So do you think the early sets missed out on some type of update, or are we missing something?

I'm not really sure. You could almost interpret the "Notice: Picture Mode Setting" paragraph to mean that you can set Video 1 to Vivid and Video 2 to Pro, and as you toggle between Video 1 and Video 2 they will remain set to Vivid and Pro, respectively. So the "Mode" setting is saved for each input, but the individual settings (Picture, Brightness, etc.) which define the mode are not saved for each input. If that's the case, the paragraph is poorly worded, and why would they even bother with an addendum for something like that?

I was under the impression that the GWIII settings were being saved in the same way as the GWII, so I didn't really question it until you mentioned the "Notice: Picture Mode Setting" sheet.

If component input is used then a digital to analog conversion has to take place in the DVD player. Then the analog signal must be converted back to digital in the TV before it can be displayed.

If DVI is used the DVD player can do an all digital conversion to the TV's native resolution (Samsung DLP and Panasonic LCD). The 720p signal is displayed without it ever being converted to analog.

The "all digital" path has much less potential for introducing errors.

The Sony isn't native 720p but it can still stay in the digital mode according to information posted here in this forum.

What ever the path, how you think the PQ looks is up to you, but the connections are different.

According to the main thread about the Bravo D1 and Samsung 931 DVI players, the Bravo is not good at all outputting analog component signals. I wouldn't expect the Samsung to be in the Denon's class for component outputs either.

Does anyone know exactly what "Mild Mode" is doing?

- Mild Mode is described as "a natural, soft picture."

- In Pro, Mild Mode is on by default. Pro is described as a "picture with minimum enhancements."

- When Mild Mode is on, the Advanced Video settings (DRC, BN Smoother) are disabled.

All of this made me think that by turning Mild Mode on you are turning off all enhancements. But when playing around with the Mild Mode setting, it seems like turning Mild Mode on is making the picture more blurry. Not just taking away enhancements, but actually adding a blur to the picture. Does anyone know what exactly this setting does?

I have the same Sony center channel speaker, and the 42" GWIII. All I had to do was put some of that rubber matting people use for drawers right under it. The front rubber feet rest on the top, and the middle of the speaker rests on the rubber matting stuff... the speaker isn't going ANYWHERE.

I am continually impressed by how bright the GWIII is in a sunlit room. I love this TV!

Hi

How did you get access to the DRC and BN settings when viewing SD from DirecTV? I haven't seen those setting at all on my 42" GWIII

Make sure Mild Mode is off, then scroll down past Mild Mode to find Advanced Video. It's a bit hard to find, since Advanced Video isn't on the screen until you scroll down past the bottom. The DRC settings are in there.

Thanks so much! I can't believe I missed the arrow that appears to the left of "mild mode".

Does anyone know expected bulb life?

Has anyone found an engineering drawing of the 60" GWIII's cabinet showing all the dimensions, not just height, width, depth? I'd like to slide my subwoofer under the set's overhang and need to know how much space I have to work with.

Thanks,

Jim

Could someone post the dimensions of the box that the 50" Grand Wega III comes in? I suspect that it won't fit in my SUV, but I would like to know for sure. Thanks.

Rounding up to the nearest inch, the box for the 50" set is 42" tall, 22" wide, and 57" long, and must be transported upright. There was no way to fit it in my buddy's SUV, so I had to use my pickup truck (it was raining the day I got it, so we tried the SUV first; I had to wait for a break in the rain to use the truck).

I've had the set for 3 days and I'm really loving it so far. The black level could certainly be better, but otherwise the picture is great.

Sorven,
I also want a "piece of furniture" for a stand and so far have found 2 options that meet my requirements (48" wide, 20-24" high):
1) Bush VS01743 http://www.bushfurniture.com/html/tvstands_30.htm
It's not as beautiful, obviously, as more expensive furniture, but then it's only $180 plus shipping. Maybe cheaper if ordered at an Office Depot or wherever.

2) Aspen Furniture makes a beautiful unit that they call a "door console" which is 44 1/4 inches wide, 21 5/8 inches high and 24 1/2 inches deep. It comes in several styles and colors. The one I'm tentatively planning to purchase if their "Door Console" in their "Mission Collection" and is color "Chestnut". The price at the store is $349. It's model OMF2110. See that and others at
http://www.aspenfurniture.com/Digita...ssion_Main.htm

There are other models also per their printed flyer, but it looks like they're in the process of updating their web site as all the pics aren't there yet.

Hope this helps.
Dick T

Sorven,
I also want a "piece of furniture" for a stand and so far have found 2 options that meet my requirements (48" wide, 20-24" high):
1) Bush VS01743 http://www.bushfurniture.com/html/tvstands_30.htm
It's not as beautiful, obviously, as more expensive furniture, but then it's only $180 plus shipping. Maybe cheaper if ordered at an Office Depot or wherever.

2) Aspen Furniture makes a beautiful unit that they call a "door console" which is 44 1/4 inches wide, 21 5/8 inches high and 24 1/2 inches deep. It comes in several styles and colors. The one I'm tentatively planning to purchase if their "Door Console" in their "Mission Collection" and is color "Chestnut". The price at the store is $349. It's model OMF2110. See that and others at
http://www.aspenfurniture.com/Digita...ssion_Main.htm

There are other models also per their printed flyer, but it looks like they're in the process of updating their web site as all the pics aren't there yet.

Hope this helps.
Dick T

I had heard that the set COULD be transported on its side...picking it up with my SUV next week. Could someone please point out the link or thread where it states that the GWIII CANNOT be moved on its side?

MANY thanks.

When I picked up my 42" GWIII they said it could be tilted forward if needed. It fit fine in the back of my minivan. I'm upgrading to a 50", but I'm having them deliver it. (42" is just a little too small... I hope the 50" isn't a little too big).

Chad

On the side of the box, it says:

CAUTION: Never lay or place the LCD projection TV on its front, side or top during transportation.

Would it be possible to take the 50" Wega III out of the box, break the box down, and fit both the box and the TV in an SUV? I know that the TV itself is only 36 1/2 inches tall. However, I don't want to do any damage to the box that would prevent me from returning it. Any thoughts?

I would NOT recommend doing this, Brentunc. This is a precision instrument, I'd give it all the protection you could until you get it on the stand in your home.

I rented a pickup truck from U-Haul to pick mine up, which was $19.95 + 79 cents/mile. I bought some rope and lashed the set to the side of the pickup, and it worked fine.

Thanks for the pics DickTinWis.

I received my 50we610 last Monday and am happy to say that I am not regretting it. I was worried about spending so much money on ANY TV, as I came from a 27" tube that I owned for many years (without problems). For well over a year I had been patiently waiting and wanting a Philips Cineos TV (a technology to watch in the future), but they are currently facing many issues of being in their first generation. When I was drooling over TV's recently, my wife told me I should just go ahead and buy a new TV now since I had waited so long. Anyone who is married understands that you have to act fast if you are lucky enough to hear that.

After comparing the Sony, Hitatchi, Panasonic, Samsung, and Philips, I chose the Sony GWIII. I really could have lived with any of them, but felt the GWIII balanced PQ, price, and technology (being 3rd gen) the best.

The bad thing about this forum is you learn all kinds of problems that may happen (if you can call that a bad thing). After making a $3k investment, I was sweating bricks looking for all the potential problems people have listed. I am happy to say thay my concerns have so far been unwarranted!

My other concern was finding a stand. I looked everywhere and all I could find was the "open" stands. I wanted a piece of furniture that would match the TV and other things in the room. I settled on a black stand from Target (roughly $130 when not on sale). It is nearly exactly the width of the GWIII. However, I made some modifications...

I did not build it with the middle drawer they provided, but left that area to put my bigger components. I drilled new holes for the top shelf to give more room for a receiver. I used the cabinets for DVDs and smaller components (like Xbox), cutting pieces from the back for extra ventilation. I did not use the retro feet they provided, but rather used some 1 1/4" (1 1/2"?) casters to lower it and allow it to roll. Overall, the stand comes to ~22", and am very pleased with it.

Here is a picture. Thanks to everyone for your great insights.