KDS-R70XBR2 Initial Impressions

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Thak you for the information, very helpful, especially learning about the Torch mode out of the box. I look forward to more updates.


--Larry

Quick settings Guide for XBR2:


Here are some quick (OK, so it isn't all that quick) suggested settings for the XBR2 which are based on my experiences with a 60 inch XBR1: Set up your room brightness before you try to adjust your set. The primary adjustments that need changing when you go from a bright room to a dark room are: Iris, and some possible minor adjustment of Brightness. Do not change the picture setting.

Setup Settings (on the left side of the main menu) :

Go to Color matrix: This is a new control. For now, leave at Standard ( default setting).

Go to CineMotion and select Auto. This mode is automatic for film and non film sources.


Note Sony has, in the past, done a good job of setting their main controls at defaults that are correct if the source signals are correct. HD sources fit this description well as do sources off most good quality DVD players.


In the main Menu:


1. Picture Mode: Use Custom.

2. Advanced Iris: In the daytime use something close to Max. In a darkened nighttime room try one of the 2 Auto modes.

3. Picture: leave at default. Normally this is a high default setting. Turning it down will harm the Contrast ratio. DVD -adjust down only if the brightness levels on the DVE test disk are crushed (this is not likely).

4. Brightness: HD -If in doubt leave at default or try lowering 1-4 clicks. With DVD use Avia or VDE alignment disks to set this control.

5. Color and Hue: HD-Use default. For Most good DVD players the correct setting with Avia or VDE will be default.

6. Color Temp: Select Warm 1 or 2.

7. Sharpness: HD-Try the default together with the settings of the 3 other controls described below. DVD..try default but this will be DVD depentant.

7. Noise reduction: Normally use Off. If you see noise in the picture ( high frequency noise--grain etc) do not be afraid to increase the Noise reduction to Low or if it is really noisy -possibly Medium. This applies to HD films as well as SD/DVD films.


8 DRC: The XBR2 is different from the earlier XBR1 and a2000. There are 2 modes available with their own Matrix adjustments. The trick here is to use these controls the way Sony intended when they designed V2.5 DRC. Based on limited tests on a new XBR2 LCD set quipped with the V2.5 chip I suggest the following:


For HD shows from Component or HDMI inputs (including for the first time 720P as well as 1080i) use Mode 1. Do not use Mode 2--it has filters that will degrade the high frequency response to something more suitable for DVDs (about 5-6 mHz).

DRC Palette: For high Quality HD shows like Conan O'brion or SNL or for HD DVD disks I suggest using about 50/1, or 75/1 (50 Reality and 1 Clarity). If the show is noisy or poorer in quality to those mentioned try setting the DRC palette to 1/1 (off)


For DVD 480i sources scaled within the player to 1080i and fed into the set via the HDMI connection use Mode 2. Note that this mode is only available when the input format is 1080i. This new -specially designed mode should reduce the presence of spurious noise and the sharpness behavior of the DRC matrix should be more suited to DVDs. DRC Palette: You will have to experiment with this- and it will be program or DVD movie dependent


For Standard Definition shows scaled from 480i to 1080i and fed to the set via HDMI at 1080i (or for SD programs with the internal tuner) -set the DRC to mode 2. DRC palette; Again, experiment with each source.


If you must use a DVD player with only component 480i or 480p output -use Mode 1. Mode 2 is apparently not available.


9. Black Corrector: Off

10.Gamma: Usually leave at off. If the picture appears overall to be too dark -try increasing this to Low and see if you like it better. This control does not change the black or peak white levels--it only changes the brightness of values in-between.

11. Clear White: Off

12. Live Color; OFF

13. Detail Enhancer: Set at low.

14. Edge Enhancer: Set at low. (This adds some Vertical enhancement that is missing from the Sharpness control above.)


I will revise this if needed after I get my XBR2.

Hope this may of some help.


KT

Hey, I figure I've gotten a lot of help from this forum, hope this helps someone out. I changed the title based on the input. i will leave it to the mod to determine if it is appropriate or to change it.


Tagataya, the base is approx. 41 1/2 inches acrose starts tapering back at approx.10 inches and goes back about 19 inches.


EricBergan, the width is a bit over 67 inches so you should be good. Of course that can "overlap" an opening as the back tapers.


KTTV, thanks for the great Sony tips!!! I agree once I got into the right "mode" the default settings within that mode were not too bad.


HappyFunBoater, I plan to play with DRC and will see what it looks like on and off.


Zeus, my username means nothing....just a decision to find unused letters years ago. Hey, can you edit them??!!


Sorry, no pix. Not in final resting place. However there are posts with pix of it without speakers on the 70 inch rumour thread.


Hope this helps,,


BJBBJB

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Thanks a lot for the great info! One other question, approximately how long does it take for a picture to display after you power up the set?

Sorry to nag a new owner who probably just wants to watch some damn TV at this point, but there is a question you are in a unique position to answer that lots of folks are waiting on.


Namely, is the VGA input on this unit better than the one on the a2000. As we all know, the a2000 HDMI ports will do 1920x1080 (with overscan) from a dvi-hdmi adapter coming out of an HTPC.


But the vga on the a2000 is limited to 1360x768.


The owners manual for the xbr2 models (both 60 and 70) indicates the vga port will go up to 1920x1080 now, a signficant improvement over both xbr1 and a2000. But owners manuals have been wrong before.


So I'm keen to know if somebody with an actual display can confirm if the owners manual is correct.


It would be great to know if the VGA port was going to be useful again (vs. being ignored in favor of HTPC hookups via HDMI).


Especially given the coming Xbox360 enhancement that will allow it to do 1080p over VGA but not HDMI (as no cable exists).


Thanks for any insights you can provide. Hooking a PC up to the VGA port and looking for the highest res that shows up in the video control panel would probably do it.