Official 2005 Sony KDSR-50/60XBR1 SXRD Owner's Thread - Page 791

Thanks Chris. FYI I now have most of the parts needed to tackle the LED project. Still waiting on one of the AC to DC converter boards.

Despite my disappointment with the TV, it's still worth keeping around as a back-up. I don't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon, especially if the LED experiment is successful.

To tell you the truth I'm just a stone's throw away from buying a new DLP. It's a shame that the metrosexual thin-is-in craze is killing that market. Mitsubishi is the only way to go now and that's fine with me.

Not sure the Mits will be any better....I need to read all this first.

http://www.google.com/search?q=mitsu...w=1019&bih=488

We're always going to find complaints galore about every product under the sun on the internet.

Although most of those complaints are true, they tend to be greatly exaggerated.

The most common DLP service gripes include the lamp burning out early, followed by color wheel buzzing/failure and finally DMD stuck pixels. Does any of that concern me? No.

Most of these problems have one common denominator: DUST

Keep the air ports clean and most of these issues will never surface.

DLP problems are so easily repaired, it's laughable.

Besides, the latest DLPs absolutely dominate in PQ. They are worth taking a chance on.

Oh, and I used to be an "I see rainbows" crybaby myself. The color wheels are so fast now it's become a non issue.

Wobulation doesn't detract either. The image rendition quality is absolutely spectacular.

My 60" SXRD XRB1 is still looking good with all the original parts in it after 6 years. The original lamp has 11,494 hours on it. Would I benefit replacing the lamp to get a better/brighter picture? I have most of the controls dialed up just to get the brightness to an acceptable level. Is tweaking the set in the service menu difficult?

My 60 just went about an hour ago. I still have all the original parts too and I'm assuming it's the bulb, I need to check that yet. I'm just curious, since you are thinking about getting a bulb, where's a good place to order one online now?

Thanks and good luck.

After looking on Amazon there's mostly just $60 after market bulbs with brackets. They do have quite a few original Philips only bulbs though. I have looked at a YouTube video and from the looks it's really not that hard to put a new bulb in the existing bracket. New Philips original bulbs go for about $94 on there. Is that about what every else is paying here? I think that's the route I'll take though.

I failed to mention in my original post that I had contacted Sony in the middle of October to inquire about a replacement lamp for my television and was not told anything about the bad optical block issue. I purchased a replacement lamp from a local authorized Sony repairman and still had the receipt. After posting a comment on Facebook page called "I have a defective sony tv" I received multiple messages within 5 minutes of posting. I was able to amicably resolve the issue and was ultimately offered the following deal:

KDL46EX500 for $14.00 + local sales tax
KDL55EX500 for $164.00 + local sales tax
KDL55EX720 for $439.00 + local sales tax

I am sure the offer reflected the $200 I had already spent on the replacement lamp (I scanned a copy of the receipt and sent it to the person I was dealing with) but still felt as though this was the best offer I was going to get. I ultimately decided to get the KDL55EX720 and received it in about a week.

The new television is working great and I have no regrets with the purchase. The only real disappointment is the sound quality is terrible compared to my original set. I have it hooked up to a stereo but there are times where I wish that wasn't necessary. I might have been able to haggle a little bit but frankly I was just happy to get anything considering that initially I had been rebuffed completely by the customer service number for Sony as well as from the emails I had sent. I HIGHLY recommend posting something on that Facebook page. Be courteous and polite and explain your situation in simple terms without being overly derogatory and I expect you will have a similar reaction.

Hope this helps!

Thank you for your input, but it is of no use. Been there/done that.

Don't intend to sound vain, but my "people skills" could not have been honed, or performed, any better.

I actually made it to third level Sony support in just one phone call (an unheard of achievement). Despite my smooth talking and reasonable yet firm demeanor...the pricks would not budge. Subsequent emails were of absolutely no use either.

With the exception of some BDs here and there, Sony has lost me as a customer permanently. I will never buy an upcoming PS4 or any other future product of theirs that's even remotely interesting.

I'm even going to cancel my long held columbiahouse.com membership, due to its Sony pawn status.

Managed to get my paws on a very nice, low hour count HL61A750 at a bargain. It's the final installment to Samsung'08 LED DLP lineup....could not be any happier. Such an easy TV to service with inexpensive replacement parts galore.

Hey it's the best early Christmas present I could ever hope for. ...And I must have been x-tra nice this year because St Nick promised not to stick me with any products brandishing the SONY logo. 'Told Santa I'd much rather prefer a potato sack of coal instead.

On the Sony website and a replacement lamp is $249. Can you get something comparable for less and will make a difference compared to the original bulb with over 11,000 hours on it?

Well I would assume Sony is going to be the most expensive out of all the choices. It doesn't mean they are the only choice for an original bulb. It's a Philips bulb and that is what I wanted, just the bulb, I didn't need the bracket with it.

I did want to know if $94. for a Philips bulb was a average price for the bulb. I just started looking so I wasn't sure. I'm hoping what I ordered was an original bulb because obviously I want it to last just as long. I'll see I guess.

I just picked up the Philips bulb from my local electronics parts store and it made a HUGE difference. It's like looking at a new TV. I paid $119 for it but the guy switched it over to the bracket.

Thanks, that's good to hear. I bought my TV in 2004 so my bulb lasted over 7 years. I'm looking forward to see how it looks.

My bulb just went on my KDS-R50XBR1. Can anyone recommend a reliable replacement? It seems like all of the bulbs on Amazon have their fair share of negative reviews. I don't mind spending more for a product that I won't have problems with, but the price on the Sony site is 4 times as much as Amazon.

No way! I got offered the last two TVs but at 749 and 1445!! Wtf!!
That's why I haven't decided what to do yet. I even contacted the CSR through FB. And she said there was nothing she could do with the price!

KDL46EX500 for $14.00 + local sales tax
KDL55EX500 for $164.00 + local sales tax
KDL55EX720 for $439.00 + local sales tax

I am sure the offer reflected the $200 I had already spent on the replacement lamp (I scanned a copy of the receipt and sent it to the person I was dealing with) but still felt as though this was the best offer I was going to get. I ultimately decided to get the KDL55EX720 and received it in about a week.

The new television is working great and I have no regrets with the purchase. The only real disappointment is the sound quality is terrible compared to my original set. I have it hooked up to a stereo but there are times where I wish that wasn't necessary. I might have been able to haggle a little bit but frankly I was just happy to get anything considering that initially I had been rebuffed completely by the customer service number for Sony as well as from the emails I had sent. I HIGHLY recommend posting something on that Facebook page. Be courteous and polite and explain your situation in simple terms without being overly derogatory and I expect you will have a similar reaction.

Hope this helps![/quote]

Yep, that's the gist of it. My advice to you is to forget about Sony. Give yourself the satisfaction of not capitulating to their unfair settlement and take your dinero elsewhere.

There are several options. If you don't mind the screen door effect/motion blur/weak default speakers of LCDs and the glossy screen/orange border ghosts/power hogging/throw-away nature of plasmas......there are some ongoing holiday discounts on them. LG and Samsung have released some real winners.

If you are determined to replace your SXRD on the cheap with something comparable, do what I did:

Scour Craigslist for an HL61A750 or HL67A750. They were Samsung's last two models of LED DLPs from '08. I got mine at a steal with barely any use on it.

PQ is amazing even by today's standards. The LEDs at minimum brightness put out just as much light as the SXRD in reduced power mode. This LED TV consumes only 80 watts max in minimum LED mode!

Samsung isn't exactly renowned for the quality of their power supplies in any of their products, so it is wise to not go above the medium LED setting (way too bright anyway).

Because the LEDs are pulsed at a must quicker rate than the fastest color wheels, rainbows are eliminated for just about all viewers now. Unfortunately I do see them occasionally, but they aren't anywhere near as bad or distracting as the color wheel sets.

Besides those potential issues these TVs are winners. 1080p24/60 through HDMI, component and VGA. Automatic 120Hz processing. A dynamic contrast feature which is comparable to the SXRD iris. Checkerboard 3D (needs Mitsubishi adapter for compatibility with current 3D standard). No screen door effect nor motion blurring whatsoever. Silk screen effect is less than any of the RPTV SXRD models. Perfect geometry. Excellent SD scaling....SD almost always looks great.

Saturation is more realistic and the color gamut expanded due to the increased spectral range of LED vs UHP. Black level performance is SXRD-like and convincing enough for night time viewing. Video games pop. Blu-rays are spectacular.

I'm lovin' it.

Congrats on your purchase! My yellow tint is getting a little more noticeable along the bottom edge. As I recall, this kind of creeps up on ya over time. I hope to find something in the future with good audio as I don't have a decent stereo to hook-up to...... Really appreciate the Sony for that.
Still keeping a replacement OB from Tri-State in mind. I'm handy with a screwdriver and for $300, another 4 yrs might be an option for me.

I suppose you have given up on your 'LED replacement bulb' project?
Sounded like a good idea for someone about to replace their OB.

Thanks and Good Viewing,

Thanks, it would be that much sweeter if I didn't see the RBE at all. Two members of my family can see it also. I guess we're in that 2% odd-ball minority then, oh well.

Was watching America's Most Wanted tonight and had to keep my eyes real still during the night time narration scenes..or John Walsh's leather jacket would occasionally turn R/G/B.

Still, it's very fleeting and not as big a deal as it would seem. Most programming is unaffected.

I hear that the more the TV is viewed, that my eyes+brain will eventually be trained to no longer notice RBE. I'm skeptical, but really hope this is true.


Yes, the yellow will usually begin to darken along an edge or corner, gradually encroaching further into the screen. Just one of the many things that commonly go wrong with these TVs. I like the guys over at Tri-State, but highly recommend John Breton's service instead.

He installs a brand new panel in the blue light path vs harvested parts from pulled OBs. He has a special jig to ensure proper optical alignment and claims to rebuild the entire light tunnel. I once asked him to specify exactly what parts were replaced, but he declined further comment. i suspect that he at least replaces the blue polarizing filter as well, since they can get severely worn. His service is $250.


No, the LED project is actually still a go. Despite its flaws, I actually still really like my XBR1 and want to use it as the basement TV. It's just that I have been pressed for time and preoccupied lately.

I have three XL-5100 lamp cases, one of which had a blown Osram (that POS bulb only lasted ~2000hrs). Last week I removed the bulb from the casing and began test fitting the LED components. The case will need to be Dremeled in order to fit a sufficiently sized heat sink, otherwise it's all pretty straight forward.

Sony reveals within the service manual exactly how the TV interfaces with the ballast board (they call it the power supply block). The schematics are very clear about just how the TV goes about sensing the presence of a properly installed and functioning lamp.

The most difficult part of the whole thing is deciding where to source the AC current for the DC converter. There is a potential source internally within the TV, but I'm not OK with it at this time. The safest way to do it would probably be to have the LED assembly entirely electrically isolated from the TV, with its own 115V power cord. Don't know exactly when I'd get around to completing the project, but hopefully sooner than later.

I know these sets are very obsolete,but I have a ? my color is off and can not seem to figure out what to do,, green seems to be the issue, if I'm watching a show that say has a pepsi can or machine in it,,the blue in the pepsi is green, a car that I know for a fact to be blue is green, yet the skies are still blue and the oceans are still blue I'm very confused any help thanks much

It sounds like it's quite possibly your optical block going bad. Most all the Sony rear projection TVs have this problem. If you read back through some of the pages in this thread you'll find you're not alone. You can also go to the facebook page specifically set up for these defective sets called I Have a Defective Sony TV and maybe get some help answering questions you have. Lot's of knowledgable folks there.

Most likely the middle of the screen is being affected more by the failing light engine

well ain't that just special..probley better off getting a new set?

yeah i have read alot of pages but i could find none that addressed the prob i'm having ...time for a new set damn it!!

Again, check that facebook link I provided. You just might be surprised as to how far Sony will go to compensate you for your defective TV.

Quite the contrary. I'm actually taken back at just how poor the offers have gotten since early November.

Sony definitely didn't offer me a fair deal and was unwilling to negotiate.

Best of luck to him because it's probably going to be a disappointing "bah humbug" of an offer as well.

Everyone: Have a Merry Christmas.

...And are hyper-sensitive to the rainbow effect (RBE).

It is absolutely true that your eyes and brain will eventually accommodate and you will no longer see them.

For me it took one week of casual viewing for the color aberrations, eye strain and nausea to disappear.

The first two days are the worst..then it steadily gets better.

I went from seeing R/G/B streaks and outlines all over the screen almost constantly, to insignificant fleeting flashes, to now finally a completely normal (and spectacular) picture.

Once your over that initial hazing period, it's all up hill from there. So don't be hesitant to give DLP a chance, it is well worth it.

Hi: was looking at your post for OB removel, pic's 5,11,12,and 13 are missing could you please help out with those! Thanks Much

Thanks to KewlK for your postings about fan replacement and to Weaver6 for the link to cwc.

My red light had been blinking from time to time for a few months, but I'd managed to get the set back up and running (sometimes using a compressed air can to move the fan again). But on Christmas Eve it finally gave out on me. I tried KewlK's suggestion of adding lubrication to the fan shaft, but couldn't pull off the blades. Finally I gave in and placed an order for a new fan from cwc. It arrived yesterday, is now installed, and my beautiful picture is back.

I am so grateful to everyone who shares insight and knowledge at AVS Forum. I've learned so much here, solved many problems with help from others, and made many of my purchasing decisions based on the experience of members. I would be lost without this site.

Thanks again and a Happy New Year!

Oh, you must be referring to the step by step OB removal guide on page 702 by "adrian1281".

It was very nice of him to do that for all the n00bs.

I think you'll be OK without the four missing pics. They cover steps that are kinda obvious. You will be able to tell when every last connector is free of the system board assembly. The whole behemoth will slide right out. Be especially careful while handling the large amber OB ribbon cable, it seems rather delicate.

You're very welcome, it's my pleasure. I am glad to help.

You the same, hoping 2012 is a good one.

Hey all,

I have a question for you. I own the 2005 KDS-r50XBR1 sxrd model. My optical block is finally headed south (for the 3rd time in 5 years) and I'm not even going to try and do the replacement process. I contacted Sony and they gave me their crappy offers for what I feel are inferior models.

Is there a consensus among us SXRD owners as to what modern day television provides equal if not better picture quality and performance as my current model? I've always loved my TV except for all the yellow problems that begin to happen. I'm going crazy in the stores looking at all the Edge-Lit LEDs, the Mitsuibishi DLPs, the Plasmas, the Full array Sony panel that is pretty new etc. I just don't know what to get?! It seems no matter which technology or panel I read about there's some horrible flaw with it whether it's clouding or blooming or input lag.

I watch a lot of both SD content and HD/blu ray and HD gaming. I use my own stereo so I don't care about audio on televisions. I was looking at the Sony HX929 tvs that are out now but when I think about pulling the trigger somebody's review stops me. I'm also looking at the new Sharp Elite ones, and their older Sharp Aquos Quattran panels, but honestly I just wish I knew which one is as good as this LCos panel which is no longer an option!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I need a TV and I don't have a year to research this (I have a tendency to over research and then get analysis paralysis.)

thanks,
~Lan