[timothybm]

I purchased my Sony KV-32HS500(B Stock) in Feb. 2003. I set up the TV with one of the DVD set up discs, as well as changed the settings in the Service Menu using the following information:

avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=244288


I have had no problems with this unit since I purchased it and I have been very happy with the performance until now.


Today, Sept. 10th, I noticed that my image was looking rather crappy. There are only two things that I can think of that might have had some affect First the Power company came to the house for some line maintenance, power was shut off at the pole for a few minutes and then turned back on the tv was plugged in but was not "on", that happened three days ago, and second I installed a new Wireless Router (54g/2.4Ghz) yesterday that has been on for about 24 hours now and is placed about 5 feet away from the back of the TV on the other side of the wall.


Can either of these things cause a loss of picture quality? Is it just a coincidence?


I still have good sound and have a viewable image (just not watchable to my eye). The colors are a bit off and shifted to the red, Darks look too dark, and the Highlights are a bit blown out, and overall the image looks crawly and grainy.


I checked and tested all of my inputs, Cable(TWC), HDTV(from TWC as well), DVD, and VHS, all have the same loss of quality, HDTV looks better than the others, but still much worse than before. I tried tweaking the consumer controls, unplugging the TV, turning off the Router, and I still have a crappy image.


Any and all ideas are welcome!


Thank you,


Tim

 

[BMAG]

Get back into service mode to see if the settings there are where you left them (assuming you wrote everything down). Maybe the power surge messed up your custom settings.

 

[DNINE]

Maybe when the power was shut off something affected the power supply

in the TV, try unplugging the TV and pull the power cord out of the socket

for a few hours. the only way your going to know if it is one of the two

things is by process of elimination, I would start with the power, are you

using the router on the TV at all?

 

[jamesavery22]

Quote:

Originally posted by BMAG Get back into service mode to see if the settings there are where you left them (assuming you wrote everything down). Maybe the power surge messed up your custom settings.

This reminds me to bring up an issue....


Do all of you just have your TVs plugged directly into the wall or just a power strip?


I know when I get my TV Im having it run off of a APC UPS backup. Yeah I know they are made for computers but APC guarantees up 100k$ of electronics if its plugged into the UPS and it is damaged due to some power failure/surge.

 

[timothybm]

Thank you for the all the great replies. I did unplug the set for a few hours, with no change, and I am not using the router for the TV at all, only for the computer network. I do have the TV plugged into a "Surge Protected" power strip, not a high end one, just the average Hardware store type.


I will check the service mode settings to see if that has changed, will doing a reset to the default settings in the service mode bring the TV back to the original out of the box set up?


Thanks again,

Tim

 

[DNINE]

I use a good surge protector on all my electronic equipment. I have heard of people using a UPS, but if the power goes out like it did a few weeks ago

I don't think the TV will work in a blackout. From what I have been told unless you have line problems with your electricity, like you live in an area with known power problems, a UPS is only good for computers in general

when you need to back up your data

 

[jamesavery22]

Quote:

Originally posted by DNINE I use a good surge protector on all my electronic equipment. I have heard of people using a UPS, but if the power goes out like it did a few weeks ago I don't think the TV will work in a blackout. From what I have been told unless you have line problems with your electricity, like you live in an area with known power problems, a UPS is only good for computers in general when you need to back up your data

Well yeah its not made to power a TV so you can watch it when the powers out Just to protect it when there is an "interuption" in power. A few years ago my friends power had a brown out. Luckily he had his gateway on an APC that was sent with the computer. EVERYTHING except that computer died. Including the APC but the computer and monitor were fine and APC replaced it. Kinda the same thing happened to my roommate in the house we use to live in. It was the situation you described, had bad power lines or something, we wouldnt have spikes just random voltage drops. My UPS would beep 2-3 times a week and sometimes the clock on our microwave would reset and his TV would turn off. Eventually his computer AND his TV died....

I mean if you are spending >1k$ for a TV you can pick up a 650va backup on ebay for 50$ with new batteries. I mean thats cheaper than an extended warranty =) It just seems common sense to me.

 

[ADU]

timothybm,


This may be a dumb question, but are you in the right display mode? The Vivid mode has a more grainy, contrasty, saturated appearance than Pro.


I don't know if cutting power to the TV will reset the service menu, but it may reset the User settings back to their defaults. I think Vivid is the default display mode. If the User settings were reset, you'll probably also need to redo your Picture, Brightness, Color, Hue, Sharpness, VM, and DRC tweaks as well.


Another thought that occured to me is that the work on the powerlines might have fowled up your cable reception. PQ will rapidly degrade on TVs like the HS500, if the signal quality isn't good. That could also explain a more grainy, saturated image. But if DVD also looks worse, then this wouldn't seem to be the cause.

 

[DNINE]

To be honest I really don't know if a UPS will or won't help. I know for computers it's a must if you have important data. Sony TV's have some kind of surge protection built in. If it is a choice of an Extended Warranty for

$130 or a UPS I would go with the Warranty. Unless you have those problems with your electricity, there is something else called a line conditioner, maybe you should chk that out.

I just saw a 2 year ext Warranty on J&R's site for $130.00

 

[jamesavery22]

Quote:

Originally posted by DNINE To be honest I really don't know if a UPS will or won't help. I know for computers it's a must if you have important data. Sony TV's have some kind of surge protection built in. If it is a choice of an Extended Warranty for $130 or a UPS I would go with the Warranty. Unless you have those problems with your electricity, there is something else called a line conditioner, maybe you should chk that out. I just saw a 2 year ext Warranty on J&R's site for $130.00

I plan to get the ext warranty through CC as well as throw it on one of my BP650S that Im wasting on a desklamp right now