[Yesdear]

I have a new Sony KV34HS420 and I have noticed with some sources I have a bow in the top and bottom of the screen that arcs in the middle. If there were text running across the bottom it would look like it was going over a speed bump.


This is noticeable with my PS2/XBOX or any text that is displayed with my Rogers HD terminal. When watching TV programs or movies in 16:9 I do not notice anything.


In the menu I can adjust the tilt but is there anything to adjust this bow?

 

[Dark Rain]

The only way to correct it would be in the service menu. The parameter would be VPIN. This setting will correct any horizontal bowing to a certain degree. It won't eliminate it because of the nature of CRTs.


To enter the service menu, make sure the TV is turned off and push these buttons on the remote:


Display, 5, Volume+, On


Then use the number 2 button on the remote to find the 2170D-1 category. VPIN should be in there and use either the number 3 or 6 buttons to change the value. It's best to use a crosshatch pattern found on a calibration DVD so you can see the changes.


To save the changes push Muting and Enter on the remote and turn the TV off then back on again.

 

[Q of BanditZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PikminZeez If they got rid of geometry and burn-in problems... ...CRT would undoubtedly have the best PQ in the world (though it already has the best PQ).

I want you to say that bolded part out loud to yourself a few times and listen very carefully.


Now...does that sentence really make any sense to YOU, because the obvious self-contradiction sure as hell couldn't make less sense to the rest of us.


And what burn-in problems are you talking about? Get your facts straight.


The only way ANYONE could burn-in a modern day CRT tube TV would be via sheer stupidity and abuse. In other words, you'd have to deliberately TRY, VERY HARD...to do it.


You know, like turning the settings up to 80 percent or so? Stupidity and abuse like that.

 

[Yesdear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Rain The only way to correct it would be in the service menu. The parameter would be VPIN. This setting will correct any horizontal bowing to a certain degree. It won't eliminate it because of the nature of CRTs. To enter the service menu, make sure the TV is turned off and push these buttons on the remote: Display, 5, Volume+, On Then use the number 2 button on the remote to find the 2170D-1 category. VPIN should be in there and use either the number 3 or 6 buttons to change the value. It's best to use a crosshatch pattern found on a calibration DVD so you can see the changes. To save the changes push Muting and Enter on the remote and turn the TV off then back on again.

Thanks very much, I will try this out.

 

[Dark Rain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PikminZeez Unfortunately, CRTs continue to have geometry issues.

And they always will since a CRT is curved and is susceptible to magnetic interference. The best you can do is adjust it until it looks better and forget about it. If it's so bad that it distracts you then either keep returning it until you get one that's near perfect, or step up to a DLP, LCD, or plasma TV.


As you said, CRTs have the best PQ despite their inherent problems.

 

[Yesdear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Rain And they always will since a CRT is curved and is susceptible to magnetic interference. The best you can do is adjust it until it looks better and forget about it. If it's so bad that it distracts you then either keep returning it until you get one that's near perfect, or step up to a DLP, LCD, or plasma TV. As you said, CRTs have the best PQ despite their inherent problems.

I looked at the service menu and adjusted the vpin values but it seems to adjust it in the opposite direction. I have only had the TV for a few weeks so I will place a service call and see what they can adjust. I did not notice this during the first week of use and it is more then a slight bend on the corners. To correct my original post it is all sources and most noticeable when watching letter box programming or movies. It looks like a bowed rectangle with the middle being higher then the ends instead of the letter box lines being straight.

 

[Dark Rain]

Raising the VPIN value will push horizontal lines/images upward at the bottom part of the screen. Lowering the value will do just the opposite. Usually the horizontal arcing swings upward as it nears the edges of the screen at the bottom, and downard at the top. It's just the slight curve of the tube that makes it look this way. The default VPIN value on my Sony 30HS420 was 19. I raised it to 21 to get rid of the horizontal bending. To correct the corner bending, you need to adjust the PIN, UCP, and LCP values in the service menu. PIN will adjust the vertical bowing near the left and right edges of the screen. And by doing this it will straighten out some of the horizontal bending in the corners of the screen. You need to cleanup with the upper and lower corner pincushion adjustments. Small adjustments are all that are needed, along with a bit of trial and error.


You can spend hours or DAYS making small adjustments to get it as close to perfect as you can. You can even drive yourself mad! Adjusting geometry is a PITA if you don't have the patience for it.


A Sony service tech is just going to tell you it's "within spec." I'd highly recommend you get an ISF calibration if you're serious about PQ. It may cost you $300 or more, but you'll enjoy watching your movies and TV shows and not worry about the image anymore.

 

[Yesdear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Rain You can spend hours or DAYS making small adjustments to get it as close to perfect as you can. You can even drive yourself mad! Adjusting geometry is a PITA if you don't have the patience for it. A Sony service tech is just going to tell you it's "within spec." I'd highly recommend you get an ISF calibration if you're serious about PQ. It may cost you $300 or more, but you'll enjoy watching your movies and TV shows and not worry about the image anymore.

Maybe I should just hire you! Thanks for all the advice.