[kellte2]

I just bought a 32" Sharp LCG5C32U at costco and I've had no trouble getting a great picture over my timewarner digital cable, but when i hooked up my old JVC nonprogressive DVD player via component cables, I have found a huge issue with the set. The blacks are incredibly oversaturated causing them to lose almost all detail so I end up having fantastic colors, but when a dark scene comes around, I have a hard time seeing any of the detail. I did a quick search on this, but really found nothing of relevance so I am wondering if this is a problem with my particular set (in which case I'd drive it back to costco) or if i should have call sharp and see if they can send someone over to adjust the service menu or if its possibly my non progressive DVD player. Any help would be very much appreciated. thanks.




EDIT----

one last thing, this black issue hasn't shown up on SD or HD television( through component)...which is odd.

 

[JimSD]

Have you done a calibration on the set yet? If not, you should do one with Digital Video Essentials or Avia. At the least, do a quickie calibration with the THX Optomizer that you probably have on some DVD. With a calibration you might find that a setting such as Brightness is way off or even that your DVD player does not pass blacker-than-black which can both cause loss of detail in dark areas.

 

[vman41]

A lot of times DVD players have a setting for black level, check the setup menu on the DVD.

 

[donotremove]

this set sucks for dvd imo

 

[nameless33]

Borrow some DVD players and compare.

 

[kellte2]

I don't understand how this set can possibly suck for DVD. Its being input to the same component jacks through the same cord as my 3250HD receiver. The 3250HD has perfect black levels. This would suggest that its the DVD player, but I've never heard of an issue where the DVD output is so poor as to show no detail in blacks (especially when this same DVD player when connected to an old hitachi 32 via composite displays blacks with clarity). I guess that's my major hangup: this dvd player works well on an old TV. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[ChicagoBearsOwn]

um well he is right, this tv is a HUGE let down on PQ for dvd and SD tv


sorry, thats just the way it is

 

[whityfrd]

well your comparing hdtv to 480p at the most. Of course the picture will look different. Doesent the aquos models feature independent memory per input? You could use one of the two component inputs for dvd and change the brightness and contrast settings for your dvd player until the blacks come into detail.

 

[kellte2]

Well Chicago, frankly put, its hard to take your opinion on this one. SD, while nothing to write home about, looks just fine to me. My Gamecube and PS2 in component all display color (including black) correctly. Many people seem to have had good experiences with this set, but your voice has consistantly resonated as one of the few people that seem to be unhappy. Do you have a progscan DVD player that displays pure black? I respect your opinion, but its hard for me to accept it as the whole truth as others have posted positively with their opinion of this set.


At the time, I can't get ahold of another DVD player to test out on the set. My player is 1999 vintage so I'm leaning towards that being the cause of my problems, but I can't invest the money in another player at the time. My launch PS2 DVD playback also looks horrible (nonprogessive), but that is pretty much a given. It would make me feel much more comfortable in buying another DVD player if someone here has had a similar experience with blacks on an old player which was remedied with the purchase of a new model.

Has this happened to anyone?


ALSO - it was actually 480i....The set does have independent settings for each input, and this route was tried, but there was no way to change the detail in the blacks. They were either all black or , if i fooled with the settings, a greyish hue that still carried absolutely no detail in any dark areas or shadows.

 

[ChicagoBearsOwn]

sadly quite a few people have major issues with this set on here


I dont know why, but thats how it is


I like the tv... people assume i hate it, its just that it doesnt live up to the HYPE at all

and thats dissapointing

 

[cjv123]

you spend $2,000+ on something and yet you don't take 5 minutes to learn anything about it before running it in here? whatever.

 

[kellte2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjv123 you spend $2,000+ on something and yet you don't take 5 minutes to learn anything about it before running it in here? whatever.

I don't understand your claim. I came in hear and researched for about 3 weeks before buying the set. I'm also happy with the PQ on everything except my DVD player and I'm here asking people if they've had a similar issue. This isn't about a lack of research.

 

[donotremove]

Well, here's my review of the set:


I think this set looks fine with SD and looks great with HD. I'm having some issues with pixelation in HD, although I can't tell if that's a problem with the set or with my feed. InHD is always outstanding. ShoHD is the worse, where the pixelation actually causes loud noises to come out of my set sometimes that actually shuts down the sound, so that I have to turn off and turn on the tv again. I'm also having a problem where, infrequently, about a two-inch layer of static is on the bottom portion of the set when I turn it on. I sometimes need to turn off and on several time to get rid of it.


For DVD's, it's just "alright" but not excellent. I can live with it since I don't watch DVDs all that often.


All in all, I'm happy with the set. When I compare it to my brother-in-law's Sony Trinitron CRT, I'm all the more happy b/c that set looks like crap with HD.


Finally,

Quote:

This message is hidden because whityfrd is on your ignore list.

 

[xravexboix]

I just picked up this unit from Costco. I was cross shopping w/ the 32D5U units found at CC and BB. THe price difference could not be beat (especially since I wouldn't have utilized the extra features found in the D5U)


Have you read the instruction booklet yet? I went through it to make sure all my settings were as best as possible before fine tuning it when I have time.


There is a setting to tune the "BLACK OPTIMIZATION" or something like that. It helps a little bit, but it's still not perfect (from what I've been reading here, LCD will not acheive perfect black... at this time)


Turning OPC on and changing the settings to enable "FILM MODE" (detects 24 FPS and adjusts to fit 24 FPS inputs) and change the setting to "MOVIE MODE" (on the remote, flip open the secret compartment and there are 6 or so buttons).


Try all that... I'm running a POS Phillips DVD player w/ progressive scan and it looks pretty good. It's connected w/ crappy gold plated RCAs from Radio Shack from component video LOL (I ordered a set... should be here by next week. I couldn't wait) and it looks fine. Once I get the good cables... The quality will improve again. I'm running in 480p mode. 480i seems to be pixelated (at least when watching Anchorman and Seinfeld DVDs)... but it may just be my player.


The black on my standard DirecTV feed is fine (HD-DVR on order...) but yes, detail is on the dead side.


Just give it some time and adjust those settings I recommended... hopefully that helps and saves you a hundred+ dollars.


Good luck,


Jeff


PS - Long time reader, first time poster =P Also, Costco has started stocking the 37D7U online... for those of you that have been waiting =P

 

[xravexboix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by whityfrd well your comparing hdtv to 480p at the most. Of course the picture will look different. Doesent the aquos models feature independent memory per input? You could use one of the two component inputs for dvd and change the brightness and contrast settings for your dvd player until the blacks come into detail.

Yes, settings are stored per input channel.

 

[MUGEN]

i have 2 GD6U's and they both are horrible with blacks. my old KLV23HR1 sony 23" lcdtv has a better picture

 

[sfhub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xravexboix Yes, settings are stored per input channel.

If it is like the 45", the settings are stored per input, only after you change the AV mode to "User" on the input you want the settings stored. If you want all the settings to be per input, you should change each input to "User" individually.

 

[sfhub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donotremove I'm having some issues with pixelation in HD, although I can't tell if that's a problem with the set or with my feed. InHD is always outstanding. ShoHD is the worse, where the pixelation actually causes loud noises to come out of my set sometimes that actually shuts down the sound, so that I have to turn off and turn on the tv again. ... I'm also having a problem where, infrequently, about a two-inch layer of static is on the bottom portion of the set when I turn it on. I sometimes need to turn off and on several time to get rid of it.

If one HD channel is always good but another is not, that usually points at the feed. If you are seeing pixelation and loud pops, there is very good chance it is Comcast's feed. I had the same problem in my area as they did the QAM64->QAM256 conversions (for the SD channels). Someone left a sweep test generator running on the HD frequencies and it was causing "bursts" of errors every 5 seconds, resulting in major pixelation/tiling and loud audio pops. It was unbearable, but only happened on some of the HD channels. If you are using Motorola box, you can see if you are getting errors on the feed by tuning to the channel in question, pressing "power off, ok (within 1 second), and D04 Inband Status". If your source is having problems, you will see recoverable and unrecoverable errors. The Sharp internal QAM tuner is more sensitive to errors than the Motorola box, so often times the internal tuner will display problems which the Motorola box can correct. Usually if this type of major problem is with the TV, it will be for all HD channels, not good for one HD but bad for another (but anything can happen)


The 2-inch layer of static seems problematic. That shouldn't be happening and could be a panel problem. Does it happen for all inputs?

 

[sfhub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellte2 The blacks are incredibly oversaturated causing them to lose almost all detail so I end up having fantastic colors, but when a dark scene comes around, I have a hard time seeing any of the detail.

Is it possible for you to run some objective tests from the clayface thread? Your symptoms sound suspiciously similar to the clayface problem we've only seen on the 45" (and has since been fixed with updated firmware) There are examples and objective tests in the thread. I'm curious if the firmware problem migrated to other models.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post5520490

 

[nameless33]

I bought one of the costco 32" aquos sets and it works fine. I don't see any of the problems that some people are claiming with this set. If I had the problems some people are posting here, I'd take the set back or to a service center. If you really don't like the set, get rid of it, because it doesn't get much better in this class of set.