The Official Kd-34xbr960 Thread - Page 104

I just purchased the XBR960 a couple of weeks ago and the price was just over $1600, but that was due to the set being on sale for $1799 (originally $1899) and on top of that, there was a 10% off store coupon from Boscovs. Let me know if you have any hard proof of a more reduced cost because the store will price match for me.

Go with the XBR960, the picture is excellent and is money well spent. I'm waiting for my 100 hour burn in period so I can get it calibrated.

oh and how the hell do u get this tv to work with memory sticks?

when I put one in it doesnt seem to recognize it

I have used mine with a memory stick pro and it shows every jpg size I have tried and it also played the mpg files from my old sony digital camera. The photos are crystal clear. If the TV is on and I stick the memory stick in it automatically switches to the input and shows the files.

yea it doesnt do anything when I put in a memory stick.

and the red led always stays on.

I see today (1/15) that Sears is selling the 34XBR960 (not 960N) for $1499

I believe that is supposed to be the 34xs955. They had the 34xs955 on sale for $1499 right after Xmas online. I noticed last week when I clicked on the link I have book marked it said xbr960, but it says the list is $1699 and only comes with 90 day/ 1 year warranty. The list and warranty info is not correct for the XBR960. I haven't seen a XBR960 on their online site since I started watching prices for this set in November. Anyone now if their local Sears carries the XBR960, and at what price?

Sears has never carried XBRs., at least as far as tubes go.

XS is as high as they go.

Ok two things, first the system I am refering to is our retail system. Generally if we have new models coming in they are put into the system first, and within a month or two we see a purchase order. After that the product comes in, so I would expect it to be two to three months before we see this model.

As for the price, why is $1499 so unbelivable? We have it for that price everyday of the week, hell we have it for $1199 right now. Here is the link if anyone wants it. Third page bottom right.

Jared

Darn, wish I lived in your neck of the words

It's MSRP around here.

I might as well forget about getting an XBR960 now. No way I am paying $1590-$1899 when some stores are selling this set for $1200. I don't buy a vehicle from a dealership that is trying to sell near sticker price, I go to another dealership that will sell at invoice price less rebates. I don't see the pricing in South Jersey falling below $1600 anytime soon.

I am new to this HDTV thing so bear with me.

Today I watched some of the football game and they said it will be broadcast in HD, but I wasnt getting it in HD (I think). It didnt say 720i or 1080i when I press display, just NTSC. The screen mode options where still Wide Zoom, Normal, Full, and Zoom, instead of Full, Zoom, Horizontal Expand, and Vertical Expand. I dont have the money to buy an outdoor HDTV antenna, plus its not my house. How about one of those small indoor antenna's? Which one would you recommend. If a channel that is broadcasting a show in HD, do they also broadcasting it in Standard Definition? If so that might explain the problem.

Im not getting a good picture from anything and thinking of returning the tv. But before I do I want to try to a few things first to make sure its not the tv. Another thing that bugs me is the screen modes for the standad definition.

If you are within 40 or so miles of your local stations you should be able to get by with an amplified indoor antenna. You can buy one almost anywhere including target wal-mart or radio shack. I use a Terk amplified antenna and get good results with my locals. There is more info in the HDTV forum.

Are you using cable? Is it a HD Digital box? Some (maybe all) cable companies use a different channel for the HD broadcasts. Example: Mine uses 03 for Local NBC StdDef and 166 for Local NBC HD

Concerning the Sears posting of XBR960, I emailed them. They replied that it was a mistake. The tv is the 34XS955. They were going to instruct the webmaster to take the ad off. I didn't see it for a couple of days under tube tvs. Then I saw it again under HDTV listings. I hate to think of how mad people would be in receiving the cheaper model tv.

Personally, I'm thinking about getting the 34XS955. I don't need Firewire nor Picture in Picture. When I upgrade to HD cable box, these features are on the cable box. I've looked at these 2 tvs and also the 36xs955 in stores. I believe all have identical picture quality. Does anybody believe the XBR960 has a better picture quality?

Were you tuned to the off-air "analog" (aka NTSC) or off-air "digital" (aka 720p or 1080i) version of the network channel? The comment that says you saw NTSC says you were tuned to off-air analog (and hence only saw non-HD standard 4:3), not off-air digital (where you would have seen 16:9 HD and the expected indicator of 720p or 1080i). The problem is not with the set... it's with your tuning to the wrong off-air channel.

Assuming you have some acceptable off-air antenna connected (a decent indoor VHF/UHF antenna should do, if you're within 10-30 miles of the tranmitters and don't have any horrible obstructions) you then need to run through the SETUP instructions to program the TV's tuner. As has been pointed out by others, off-air digital channels are up in the UHF frequency range but are shown by the TV as N.1, N.2, etc.). The set's tuner needs to "learn" what digital channels exist in your area, and what NTSC channels they correspond to (which is learned from the PSIP data imbedded in the digital data stream).

For example, here in LA standard definition (VHF "NTSC") 4:3 NBC is channel 4. Digital NBC-DT is channel 36. Letting the tuner learn this allows you to then select either analog channel 4 with crappy SD 4:3 picture or digital channel 4.1, which is actually channel 36 although you don't have to know that once the set has gone through its SETUP process successfully, with fabulous HD 16:9 picture.

Get an indoor antenna, run through the SETUP process, and then tune to a digital version of the network channels, where you will find the HD you're craving.

Has anyone purchased their tv from B & H photo and used the common curbside delivery method?

How does it work?

Does the carrier contact me and tell me they will be delivering in a certain "window" of the day?

Is there anyway to pick which day they will deliver?

What I'm getting at, is do I have to have someone sitting at my house for a week waiting on the tv, or do they work with you to make delivery?

I can wait around the house for a full day, but I'd have to know which day I would be waiting around.

Thanks in advance!

This is where I will be getting mine from........though I live in NYC so the White Glove shipping is only going to be $85 and it will be next day. They do work with you on some level but do understand that if you are out of state your options will be limited.

BTW, anyone use the Sony stand with this set? It is like 350$ and want to know if it is worth it.

I am getting alot of ghosting/trailing from this set. Does anyone know how to fix this or are u getting it at all? I thought that CRT's were not supposed to have much ghosting but I can clearly see a blur whene there is white against a black background. And when a persons bright face is displayed and then the scene chnges to all black I can still see the outline of the face. Does anyone know how to fix this problem? I just read it was due to phosphors but is there nyway to reduce this? Also do other tv's do this? What about LCD's?

After seeing your post, my curiosity wants to know what the advantage would be, also. Since they are the same in every aspect EXCEPT the PIP and WARRANTY, I can't believe the pic quality would be any different. So, does it justify the extra $$ for the better 960 warranty ('cause I have no use for PIP).... tough choice. Not sure which way I would go. only other thing different I saw, (and it doesn't make sense) is that the 955 w/stand weighs more than the 960 w/stand.

I'm trying to chat with Sony right now to see if I can get some information.
========================
Okay, 20minute phone call and here is what they said:
960N has 2 anti-glare coatings applied to the Picture tube and the 960 has just one. Told him I heard just the opposite, that 960N "removed" one layer of coating...he rechecked, and swears that the 960N has 2 coatings. Don't know what to believe right now.

As for the 955, electronics, tube,m everything is SAME as 960, except those items already noted.

My XBR had the identical problem, memory stick read light on all the time and no MS function. I was going to ignore it because I don't use the MS but called for warranty service after advice on this forum. The repair tech had to replace the Q? module and said the problem would eventually have evolved taken out power supplies and the TV would go inop. It is a known problem by sony and they knew what to replace from my description on the phone. Ordered the part without looking at the TV.

Regards, Rick

I don't believe there's ever been any claim the the XBR (N or otherwise) offers better PQ than the XS series. If memory serves, I do recall reading something about enhanced options within the DRC and/or advanced picture settings. Like I said, "if memory serves"...

ok I got my HD cable box today. I want to set up the tv for the channels, and so it displays whether its HD or not and the channel/show information.

I didnt do the autoprogram during initial set up and I want to do it now.

but in the menu, auto program is not highlighted (cant click it)

wtf

I've owned my 960 for about four months now and have been really impressed with it. However, I recently started noticing a very strange problem with a white substance "caking" in blobs on the front of it. Today I wiped some of them off, and not twenty minutes later there were some back on it again which I noticed after I turned it off. The caked substance doesn't isn't just dust. I have no idea what it is. A few times I have noticed it being so thick it would literally come off in chunks. I have never had this bizzare problem with any of the other televisions or other objects in my house, so I am wondering if there was actually a way the TV itself is causing this to appear.

I know this is a really off the wall issue, but has anyone else experienced anything like this? IS there any way it could be the television generating the substance?

Confused and a little intimidated by my tvs newly found ability,

Dan

Auto-programming is only for off-air tuning, not cable box fed through INPUT5/6/7. That's "line input" and does not require programming the tuner.

You need an off-air antenna attached in order to use the built-in ATSC tuner, and the set obviously is detecting that you haven't got one... hence graying out the option.

Ok they have had two days to correct their mistake...I just ordered one...I love their disclaimer...any mistakes not our fault...

What model did you order? Someone posted the ad is wrong, and they don't even carry the 960.

KD-34XBR960...Called Sears customer service line twice and ask if this was the correct model number and was told twice yes...When I called the Sears store they told me that the Sears item number was for a 955 model...

and what are you expecting to show up on your doorstep?

I know they will ship the 955N...I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best... then I will raise cane about their false advertising...Some stores will honor their ad mistakes...guess it will be hard if they don't carry that model.. At least it is not coming to my door...will go to the Sears store to pick it up...then decide what to do...take it or let them keep it.

So how in the heck do you post an ad for a model that you don't even sell and then leave it up for three days even after your were told about the mistake...

Spend the energy you would use "raising cane" to set up and enjoy your TV rather than ruining the day of some CS rep trying to get through their day that had nothing to do with the ad.