Official Sony KDS-XXA3000 OWNERS THREAD! - Page 500

Please help, I think I may have a bad HDMI port.

I have the 60 inch KDS3000.
Have my Cable DVR on HDMI 1,
Xbox360 HDMI 2

I just got my first Blue Ray Player ( Yea I know I am behind the times ) I hooked it up directly to HDMI 3. and no picture whatsoever. So to make sure I swapped HDMI cables out, and still nothing.
Took my cable box (which I know is working ) and put it on HDMI 3, and my new Blue Ray player on HDMI 1, and I get a picture on the Blue Ray, and now on HDMI 3 with my cable box, it all Majenta colored, and than goes black after about 30 seconds, and the picture does not come back. If I switch it back to HDMI 1 and than back to HDMI 3 the picture is still Majenta, than goes blank again after about 30 seconds.

Any Ideas what going on?

Hey All,
Back again with a Lamp Update....
Purchased on 2/8/2008
Lamp Hours on 1/1/2012 - 7567
At this rate (5.3 hrs/day) I expect the dreaded message in about 81 days... (yes..I like to play with Excel)
Still trying to figure out the best bulb to get...OSRAM or Philips....

thanks all for this thread...really helps out..
bama

My a3000 was bought 12/26/07, I purchased a new bulb after 5k hrs or so just to have a backup. I bought one from Advanced lamps, oem equivalent and decided to install it and save the oem phillips. The past few months i've noticed significant dimming in the picture quality, this morning I checked the hrs and it was at 4581. For grins I reinstalled the original bulb and to my surprise it's almost like watching a new tv! I think my next bulb purchase will have to be a branded phillips.

Nevermind I resolved it, not that anyone jumped in with possible solutons
All I did to fix this was I noticed in the menu with all the other inputs a BD player 1 selection. I selected it, than it went automatically to HDMI 3, and it played fine. Weird that just selecting HDMI 3 would not work, but selecting BD Player 1 sent it to HDMI 3 and it played. Go Figure

Don't take it personally, Zildjian. If you've noticed, this is a very long thread and with good reason: Pretty much all that can be said and shared about this set has been. Doing a search can be rather daunting, granted. But the problem you were experiencing (as well as its apparent solution) seems so esoteric that I'm sure someone would have chimed in had they been able to offer any worthwhile assistance. Glad all appears well now, though.

Anyone alive? I have the 60A3000 which was purchased back in Dec of 08. Never had any issues with it thank god. I did have the light engine replaced in July of 09 not because the old one was bad but because I figured its covered under warranty why not have a new one put in.....why take any chances. Thankfully even that has been issue free. Other than having one bulb replaced the TV has worked like a charm. I will probly upgrade in the next few years to the 82" Mitsu or something similar.

Keep on keeping on!

Anyone every have any problems with flickering brightness? My A3000 has been rock solid, I replaced the bulb last summer and made it look like new but just recently I noticed really bad flickering at times maybe lasts for 5-10 min then its fine. Problem happens maybe 2 -3 times a week though.

Thanks for any help!

The only times I had that problem was with replacement bulbs. You might try that or adjusting the Iris.

I purchased my 55" A3000 in 2007 and it's still going pretty strong; just installed my 3rd Phillips lamp. The only (2) issues i have is the black level has gradually shifted towards blue the last couple years. Bright scenes still look great (pop) but in dark ones the image looks flat and washed out...and, as mentioned, also a bit bluish. I've never cleaned the mirror etc but i'm assuming the bluish black level is from the wear and tear of light filters within the light engine. if someone could give me some input if this problem is fixable or not (aside from a new light engine) i would appreciate it.

The other issue i have/had was lamp flickering. i've always used Phillips lamps but after around 1000hrs (with power saving mode ON) the lamp would occasionally flicker. The only way i could stop it was by turning OFF power saving mode; i have no idea why the lamp starts occasionally flickering after 1000hrs or why turning off power saving mode works but it does.

do you have power saving mode ON? as i mentioned earlier mine does the same thing but ONLY if power saving mode is ON; and just like you, the problem only seems to manifest once the lamp has a certain number of hours on it. when i install a new lamp i set power saving mode ON just until the point it starts to occasional flicker, at which point i turn it off.

I thought it was an Osram, but apparently it was a "store brand" from the site I got it from. "Advanced Lamps". Right after I used it to replace the defective Philips bulb, I ordered another as spare using the same link. The spare box says "Advanced Lamps". Of course, it still could be made by Osram under contract... That's been awhile back since I replaced the lamp. The "Advanced Lamp" has lasted longer than the Philips OEM did.


Strange because I had the opposite experience. My OEM Philips bulb was defective and blew at 3121 hours, while my Advanced Light bulb is great, has lasted longer than the Philips (5153 hours) and still looks fantastic. It looks better than the Philips did. Depends on who is making the Advanced Light bulb nowadays. That's a "store" brand. When I bought mine might have been under an Osram contract for instance, and now it might be with someone else. I would go with Osram before I would go to Philips.

Have any here thought about what to replace your A3000 when the time comes. I asked in another thread and a long time resident said he replaced his with a Panasonic 65ST30 plasma. He loved his 60A3000 but said the PQ on the ST blew away the 60A3000. Has anybody replaced with the Sharp 632 or 732 series, available in 60" and 70"?

Definitely will not buy another Sony. I love my current TV, but it was made back in 2007 (bought in Jan 2008) when Sony still was a top tier TV manufacturer. Now that torch has passed to LG, Sharp, Samsung and Panasonic.

I will probably buy a 60" Sharp with 120Hz. Not 240Hz and certainly no 3D. At Costco I've looked at the Sharp 60"s (different models). I would love 70" but don't have the room, due to bookcases on either side of our media center.

Plus, already people sitting on end of the couch nearest my 60" TV are really too close. But I don't care, as the love seat when my wife and I sit are perfect distance. We have an "L" shape furniture arrangement. The love seat is facing the TV, while the couch goes towards the TV. People sitting on the far end of the couch are OK, but the close end of the couch sees pixelation. A 70" would make that even worse, traveling up the couch.

Anybody remember what all these numbers mean?

02/03/2012


The one on the right (5153) is supposed to be lamp hours. And the next to right (8279) is supposed to be panel hours. What are the others?

By the way, there will be some discrepancy between "panel hours" and "lamp hours". Takes some time for the TV to turn on completely and the lamp to warm up.

I've changed bulbs, at 3121 hours, and re-set the counter. My 2nd bulb has lasted over 5,000 hours, unlike the crappy Philips.

8279 (panel hours) - 5153 (2nd lamp hours) = 3126. But the panel hours should be at 8274 (3121, 1st lamp + 5153, 2nd lamp), if it matched exactly how long the lamp was on. So, ever since January 2008 until February 2012, the minute or so it takes the TV to turn on and the lamp to come has built up to a 5 hour discrepancy.


Looking here, at a previous post, the numbers (first bulb) almost matched between panel hours and lamp hours, but even then there was some difference.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...4#post16981274


08/11/2009


This pic above was posted about two months before my Philips bulb gave out. Luckily I had a spare bulb -- not Philips -- on hand.




01/12/2009


Bought the TV 01/08/2008. This pic above was after one year.


____________________________

Here's how to find your numbers: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...4#post16981274

I have kept my power saving on at all times. I just replaced the bulb for the first time in June and flickering started about a month ago. I will try and take power saving off and see if that solves the problem

Has anyone heard reports of counterfeit Phillips lamps (XL-5200)?

i just installed a new Phillips lamp (XL-5200) purchased from a reputable seller on ebay but the actual bulb looks slightly different then my old Phillips and also isnt nearly as bright (when my old Phillips was new). The new bulb does have Phillips branding and number stamping on it but the difference in quality and appearance has me believing it's either a lesser-quality revision Phillips made to the bulb or a counterfeit.

I thought I saw something akin to that on a different forum....
This has me really researching to find the best bulb as I am about at my 8000 mark...

I have had the exact opposite experience as riggs... mine flickers when the bulb reaches a certain amount of usage only if power saving is turned OFF.

I have been reading this thread ever since insly posted it back in 2007 and I have finally hit 8000 hours I believe. The message about lamp end of life has finally reared its ugly head. The TV is still going strong though but I do not want to push my luck, lol...

Can someone who has tried both Osram and Philips branded bulbs tell me if this bulb I have linked is Ok? I have read from many forums that these OSram are perfectly OK and sometimes even better than the Philips equivalents but I want to hear it from someone who has actually installed one in their KDS. I want the best possible bulb at the cheapest possible price. I would like to use this seller because of the amazing feedback. This is Mikes listing from Nesselectronics eBay store niosales. They are the only ones with a perfect 100% feedback score and over 40,000 positive feedbacks left and I like that.

Sony XL-5200 XL-5200U F-9308-860-0 Original Osram Neolux: http://goo.gl/5H8of

Will this bulb really give me the same life span and brightness? Thanks

Err, nevermind me guys, I just spoke to Jenny at Nesselectronics (niosales at eBay) who was extremely helpful and very friendly with answering my questions. She said the Philips bulbs seem to have a higher user rating (for Sony TV's anyway) and also 1000 hours longer life span than the Osram (according to manufacturers data I assume). Also, the Osram "Neolux" branded bulb has only been around for about 2 months so not enough data is available to determine if it has a higher return rate or not. However she did mention they have not heard any reports from customers of it being a lesser quality bulb. I am not sure if this Osram neolux is the same bulb they have always made but with a new name or not. If anyone knows it would be excellent to know since its only $59.00 EDIT 2/10/2012: OK, Jenny said that the Neolux is a new line from Osram built to be more affordable. They still make their 6000 hour bulb (I believe part# 69374). I'm not sure exactly what bulb is currently in my TV but I have 8072 hours on it as of this moment and its still working (knock on wood). I have noticed flickering recently but it has always been on "Power Saving OFF" mode, so going to try "Power Saving ON" mode but I have a feeling that might be to dull at this stage of the bulbs life.

http://goo.gl/Qd7Sy
Philips Sony XL-5200 $84.99 (Bulb ONLY), 6000 hour rating ebay item# 380081012931
Osram "Neolux" for Sony XL-5200 $59.00 (Bulb ONLY), 5000 hour rating, ebay item# 160707817592

Both bulbs come from a 100% seller rating eBay business called "niosales" and are also available with housings as well.

Just thought I would do my part and pass on information I found.

Rod

Edited by SkOrPn - 10/16/12 at 11:54am

Well...my bulb finally bit the dust...
My time hack for 8000 hours was going to be something like March 30, so I am assuming I had about 7850 hours on the bulb..
(and no..I wanted to utilize my warranty to its fullest, so I was waiting until the last possible moment b4 grabbing another bulb)

Did the forum ever come to a consensus on the best Bulb manufacturer??

Of course this happens a few days before vacation...

There's never been any question that philips is the best since they make most of sony's original bulbs. Many have found osram (sylvania) to be just as good and a bit cheaper. No-names are a crap shoot. Personally, my osrams were just as good (about the same life and brightness curve) as the philips they replaced. The only difference I noticed was the color was a bit cooler and brighter than philips.

My baby (60A3000) just displayed a new problem (new for me anyway) On a dark screen I see 18 vertical lines, not solid but each line contains 18 dots. The lines are contained in the center third of the screen. This is weird and I don't believe I've seen this discussed here before even thought I've been here for about 5 years. I hope you guys have seen this in the past and tell me what the problem is. Thanks.

Where is a safe place to get a replacement xl-5200 bulb at a good price?I am looking all over and all I see is knockoffs not sure where to buy

Recently noticed the blank screen and side bars (including when picture is framed ratio) of our Sony KDF-46E2000 are dark blue instead of the normal black! With that said the picture is beautiful, sharp and colors are vibrant. Blacks are true black.

What could be causing such an anomaly?

After e-mailing Sony describing my problem they advised me that it was my optical block. They said they would contact me shortly with some select Sony TV's at a reduced price to compensate me. I know from reading this forum over the years that this has been an on going step with Sony regarding optical block issues. Can anybody advise me as what to expect from Sony as far as possible models offered and what I should consider a good price? My A3000 is a 60" and don't want to down size. I planned on going bigger, 65"-70", when it came time to replace. Thanks everybody.

Could you please post the email address you used to contact sony. Also how long did it take for them to get back to you. Thank you.

The best way to contact them about the optical block issues is through the Facebook page.....

"I Have a Defective Sony TV"

Do a bit of reading there and read the "Info" tab instructions to figure out how things are done so you can get the best results. You can either post there or use one of the Sony employees e mail addresses found there. You don't want to just call any Sony customer service number or e mail. Much easier/better results going through the FB page.

Thank you....

Sony Tech Support told me a faulty optical block is the problem. We later discovered the multiple shades of blue also had streaks of pink.

We qualified for the TV discount program and should have our new Sony delivered with two to three weeks. Such great customer support is one of the reasons we have owned only Sony televisions for the past 32+ years.

Here is a big thank you to my fellow members for providing information about the Sony discount program.