The Official Kd-34xbr960 Thread - Page 258

8086,

I firmly stand on my comments about the 960 / 960N.

All of a sudden on Jan1, my 34xbr960 became unresponsive to the remote and is changing inputs randomly.

First I thought it was my remote, but using the manual controls does not help. Is it toast or is there anything I can do to salvage it.

I am watching Sony 40" Google TV but it's pathetic compared to the XBR.

Can the gurus please advice? Thanks.

I've got a wonderful 34XBR960, but my wife has outdone herself and sprung a 50" plasma on me for Christmas... which means my 960 needs a new home.

Free to anyone in the Atlanta area who can put this set to use. Unfortunately I have no place to utilize a second tv, and I hate to have to put this one out to pasture at the recycling facility.

Please someone have need for it. It feels a pity to turn it to scrap.

PM or email me and we'll make arrangements.

Very generous! Jason F.

Wow, that's a nice Christmas present. I'm sure if I cried hard enough my wife would let me get one too, however, I don't want to part with my 960. She did get me the complete Three Stooges Collection on DVD nyuk, nyuk:)

If you have both sets hooked up at the same time, let us know how the picture compares to each other - size excluded, of course.

Joseph,

I can tell you that the 960/960N is bettered only by those 1st generation Pioneer Elite Plasma sets (ISF calibrated).

Do these 960s have significant reliability problems? I'm starting to be concerned because of the many posts on the subject of problems/troubleshooting but that could be because it's such a popular set within the CRT forum. I'm having second thoughts on my desire to acquire one due to the issue of moving it and don't really want to end up with any more boat anchors. I currently have a Panny version but no HDMI and I had to buy an HD tuner (got lucky for $20 but it's kinda old too being the first Motorola model); great PQ too but that Sony SFT tube sounds great, especially for SD and VCR crud.

Mine is going on 8 years - no hiccup- at this time. The key is finding a 960 or 960N that has not been abused (like any other consumer good).
I have used my CRT for tv/movies only. No computer or video game crap....

Congrats as well.

But after many years of ownership, I see little need for the XBR anymore. I have finally given in to the superior image quality of Panasonic's line of Plasma TVs. Scalers today have more or less adressed most of the issues we had with earlier matrix style displays and with less SD content on the market, a scaler is even less of an issue now than it was 5 years ago. The sharpness and detail on the Plasma is so far greater than that of my super fine pitch XBR960, that time has made her obsolete, which is what I never thought would happen to my tube.

- As she was a great tv that could have been better had Sony kept its commitment to the crt market.


My Parents own both a 2012 LG and a 2011 Panasonic. LG has a nice picture (speakers suck) would be my 2nd choice if I couldn't get a Panasonic for some reason. The Panasonic on the Watts-up pro shows more or less the same reading. Your findings are rather accurate on both accounts.

Yeah I'm cautious of the ones where they say "we just use it for video games" or I see cables coming out the front or the front door is gone (that seems to be quite common).

I was talking to my friend about flat panels the other day (he hopes to someday get one of those Sharp 80" Quattrons) and how some of you guys love the new Panny plasmas. He said that plasmas were power hogs and unreliable but he could be holding a perception from their early years, I personally don't know if that's still true or not. Part of my point was that the new ones have much faster scan rates to reduce motion blur, maybe less expensive, and maybe better PQ.

Quite the opposite, many new LCDs use more power than a Plasma of the same size.

Generally they are problem free except for a small power regulating chip on the power board tends to fail. But it's a $10-15 fix you can do yourself and you are back in business.

Thanks 8086, good to know on both counts. Ah those blinking LED problems. lol

Do you anything on short-term and long-term reliability of modern plasmas? (I suspect LT is estimated by R&D).

Oh, did modern LCDs go up in power with LED backlighting or did plasmas just get more efficient?

I know quite a few happy Panasonic owners and no problems. Modern units are rated for over 30 years of use. Plasmas got more efficient vs CCFL LCD, I have yet to see an LED LCD vs (LG) Plasma test with both sets being the same size.

I've been tempted to think of replacing the 960 with a large screen Panny Plasma myself - I see where the cost of a no-thrills model (no 3D or apps) in the fifty inch range can be purchased in the $800 or so range. Seen in stores the picture quality and it is much closer to being lifelike like the CRT than a LCD (I have one and though the picture quality is beautiful, it is not life-like with a pastel like feel to it and all objects appearing on top of each other.

But then, it just might also be for the heck of getting something new. My 960 still works great - except for the exterior coating peeling off creating splotches - and those are not seen when the lights behind me are off ( the lights on the sides of the set still on) so it really isn't a problem). Also, the 960 and the stand blend in perfectly with the shape and size of our living room and fits perfectly with the furniture along side of it.

So why ruin a good thing if not unhappy with it?

Upgraded about 2 weeks ago to a Panasonic 65VT50 from the XBR960... was concerned we wouldn't bee happy with the change, but now that we've got it, we would never go back to that tiny little screen. Good luck... go for it!

Size but it sounds like you're OK with that; me too as long as I don't go to other folks' homes or sports bars where I start adapting to their bigger screens.

BTW if you're referring to the anti-glare coating on the picture tube there's a good post on removing it. I think it's on this thread, should be able to find it via the 'Search This Thread' function. Probably more than one post on the subject though.

Hi Floyd,

Seen those posts too but sounded quite risky. Since it is only anti-glare, when there is nothing to glare back it's fine.

You're right about the size fitting my living room but like you, it's when going to other places when I start thinking in terms of bigger screens. When at home, it is not something I'm actually wishing for.

Was at a local dealer yesterday and saw the Panny Plasmas that others like and indeed they all had great pictures - and that was, of course, with the store settings (probably equivalent to the 960's vivid) but still it didn't make me feel any need to replace the 960 as far as picture quality was concerned. And of course, there is still the added dimension of a CRT that flat screens cannot reproduce.

Talking about added dimension, had my first experience with the home theater 3D effect (not analgyth) and will admit it was impressive but again,..... as long as I don't go to other places, like you, I'm OK .

What dimension is that Joe? Since they stopped making them, development of the once mighty CRT tech has also ceased along with it allowing other techs to surpass it (and it took 10 years to do it ) Time to move on. Simple video, says a lot about CRTs.


I have a Professional Sony CRT monitor with the anit-glare coating removed and I am way happier with it this way and have thought about doing the same to my XBR960 for more accurate color, brightness, contrast. The difference is massive. Shame they dont make 26" plasma screens for computers.

Hi,

That's why I did not want to come across as putting down flat screens (citing a gorgeous picture in their own right) as it is still having pride in how well the 960 holds up to even today's flat screens though (for us at least) it is nearly an eight year old CRT.

By dimension I meant not having everything appear right on top of everything else. There is what I meant by a bit of depth perception in the CRT. I've seen the same studio program on both the 55 inch LCD we have at the office, my own 32 inch LCD and the 960. Whenever going into sports bars the picture is "flat" (no pun intended) in appearance. No big deal and not meant to be a put down, however, I think most 960 owners will understand what I mean by that added bit of the picture being more life-like.

There are still little things I notice on the 960 (like skin blemishes, etc) that are not picked up in as much detail even on my 32 inch LCD at home - the face is more smooth like (nope, not due to the 960 sharpness and edge enhancement being to harsh LOL).

Can you even imagine where CRTs would be today, if Sony were still pushing the tech forward?

I watched the Golden Globes on my 960 last night, and was truly amazed at how lifelike everybody looked on the screen.

The lighting (specifically the colors in the background, behind the presenters and winners) at the event was really superb, and everybody's skin and clothing and hair looked fantastic. I've noticed that all HDTV looks genuinely stunning ever since I started feeding the HDMI output of my Linksys DMA2100 (Windows Media Extender) into the external HDMI input of my new Oppo BDP-103 and then via HDMI into my Yamaha RX-V867 and then via HDMI out to the 960, rather than going straight from DMA2100 to V867 as it used to. There has to be some video processing going on in the BDP-103 which is making HDTV look absolutely superb... visibly superior to how it used to look without the benefit of this video enhancement.

Anyway, the picture and color was so spectacularly good that rather than delete the show when I was finished, I've retained it... specifically for use as a "reference" next month when [hopefully] I get my new Panny 65VT50 calibrated. The two sets will literally be side-by-side and my dual-HDMI-output Yamaha RX-V867 will be able to feed both TV's simultaneously, and any subjective or objective differences will be very very apparent.

This should be an exciting A/B-comparison. I'm honestly wondering if the VT50 can live up to the astounding image produced by the 960. I said this back in 2004 when I first got it, but "it looks like an open window". The onscreen image from a top quality "live show" like The Globes looks absolutely real on the 960, 3D-like and "alive", and nothing like a TV. Certainly nothing like any pixel-based flat screen TV I've ever seen.

Can't wait to see how the VT50 compares.

Hi Dsperber,

Remember, we're all anxious to read about your comparisons. Do you plan to use the picture on the 960 as the basis to set the color, contrast, black levels, tint, etc. on your new set?

Would it had been advantageous to use a HDMI switch box like I did so to feed several different inputs without having the need to go through all those devices you mentioned? I noticed absolutely no loss of vividness when setting that up.

Also, the Golden Globes as you described it was what I meant - a more life like picture caused by that dimensional feel plus more minute detail.

Will not deny that flat screens do have a slight edge in overall picture sharpness and it up to the way each individual feel's if that sharper image is better than a more lifelike one overall.
Edited by Joseph Dubin - 1/15/13 at 6:26pm

Yes DSperber, we are depending on you.

Its been a fun ride, almost a love affair with the XBR960.
We have always heard, and known with our eyes, that we had the best picture and best performance.

I still feel spoiled every time I watch her, eight years on.
A rare and wonderful feeling in this life.

But someday, we will have to move on.
The question is when, and will it be as fun.

We need to to know if the VT50 is worthy of a shift in our devotion.
And if she can perform as well?
Edited by Warbird7 - 1/17/13 at 6:26pm

Still a work-in-progress.

Finally got in touch with a great cabinet maker who'd done work for me in three separate rooms a long time ago, in order to "build me a wall" in what was just a "hole in the wall" (where my old 35" Mits used to live). Today was the day he came out to actually do the preliminary construction, so I'm now one day in.

Still have to finish installing the rest of the wall mount itself, painting the wood black (so that it looks "invisible" behind when the TV is extended away from the wall), and then of course actually putting the TV up on the mount.

Here is some progress footage of how this all started with the original 35" Mits still in the wall hole, how things got mapped out for the new 65VT50 to replace it, and right up to how we left things at the end of today with the wall mount installed (which still has to have its bracket slid left 8" to get the Panny centered where I want it).

More as the saga continues.

Deja vu I have the same type of architecture to my living room with the fireplace, vaulted ceiling, and entertainment center cubby hole to the right. My cubby hole base is an extension of the 16" high fireplace brick hearth.

Consider using Triple black velvet rather than paint.. Nothing soaks up light better.
http://www.syfabrics.com/View.aspx/Plush-Triple-Velvet/Black-Plush-Velvet/681/264
I just ordered 10 yards of the stuff from the above dealer to make a masking system for a projection screen. However you could probably get it locally at Joann Fabric or whatever you have out on the left coast. You probably need less than 2 yards, a can of 3M 44 spray adhesive and that back becomes a black hole!

If you don't have the tools to do a full calibration on your set ( it is worth doing) give my friend Ray a call, he is local to you and THX certified.
http://socalht.com/

Excellent idea! That's a much nicer finishing touch than simple paint on plywood.

I also think the TV is going to be further away from the "wall" (actually, that's mirror all around the cubbyhole which has now been closed up and the bracket mounted) than I'd hoped or planned. I thought it would be possible to push it back right up against the mirror, but because of the HDMI cable which needs to connect on the left edge, and also because of the 3/4" recess of that facing plywood inside the cubbyhole itself from the very outer front of the opening (i.e. where the mirror surface defines the "outer front") and the general width of the metal on the bracket, the mount and the TV may actually have to permanently live somewhat extended from the mount's fully collapsed thickness of just 1.5".

In other words, I think that black opening may just always be "visible", so doing it in "attractive but invisible black velvet" is a terrific idea. I'll send it on to my cabinet guy, who has yet to complete the work or arrange for the painter, etc.

I've arranged with Jeff Meier to do the calibration in early February when his next LA tour is scheduled.

But thanks for the suggestion. I also considered David Abrams (local LA) and D-Nice (somewhere else) and Gregg Liewen (LionAV, also somewhere else), all of whom are also highly regarded by AVS'rs over on the VT50 thread. But eventually just decided to go with Jeff.

You would have been thrilled with any of them and it is going to look fantastic.
As for your HDMI connection, one of these may help as I had a similar problem and this works very well.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&cs_id=1041913&p_id=7702&seq=1&format=2

I'm sure I would have, and I'm sure it will.

Mostly I'm really looking forward to the true side-by-side (as you can see from the pictures) ability to compare a calibrated 65VT50 against a calibrated XBR960. Actually I really do hope I can preserve my own current PRO setup on the 960 as a third comparison, but I suspect there are some global settings that are going to have to be changed from the calibration which will result in a change to my own PRO appearance, even if I could steal VIVID for the new calibrated setup so as to preserve my PRO.

Anyway, I can only imagine that a calibrated 960 will look at least as good if not better than my own work, which didn't use meters and software but only setup discs and images (and a colored filter to look through).

I wasn't aware of this "swivel" idea gadget.

But in the same product family I've already bought four 270-degree fixed right-angle adapters (and two of them can be clipped together to provide a full 180-degree U-turn for the cable from the HDMI connector on the edge of the VT50). Bought these (on someone's recommendation... yours?? forget) along with my original assorted length "flat HDMI cables", which I subsequently re-ordered again in "round".

I'm not as concerned about making that happen as the general concern about just how far back toward the wall/mirror I will be able to push the whole TV on its mount because the HDMI cable has to go somewhere (unless there's a cable guide UNDER the edge of the set which I can use to cheat).

Looking forward to the next phase, once the construction is complete and the TV is mounted, to see what the final cosmetics turn out to be and what I need to do to compensate if necessary.

Someday I'll be able to actually watch something on it!