[king99]

I bought a Vizio GV47L from Costco last week. Have been pretty satisfied by the picture quality (even though I still have not yet fine tuned the picture settings). I see three important firmware glitches and am surprised to see no mention on this forum:


Following is the scenario:


==> FIRST GLITCH


1. Auto-Tune all Analog + Digital Channels on the TV.

2. I tune 81 analog + 64 Digital Channels (including Music Channels).

3. Jump to any Channel less than 125 by directly keying in the channel number on the remote.

4. The TV jumps to the newly selected channel.

5. Now key in a channel greater than 125. The TV responds back with a Info Bar (white over gray) - "NO CHANNEL"

6. If, instead of executing step 5 above, if CH+ or CH- is incrementally pressed, the TV properly changes the channel and locks on the channel which is tuned (even for channel numbers greater than 125).


In short, sequential search works, direct indexing does not !


==> SECOND GLITCH


1. Clicking on the INFO button on Digital HD Channels (e.g. INHD1, INHD2, MTV) results in the INFO BAR "NO SIGNAL".

2. For other channels, it returns appropriately with the SCAN rate, CC status, INPUT etc.


==> THIRD GLITCH


1. GUIDE button on the remote is available for only some CHANNELS. Maybe this is by design.

2. The Clock on the GUIDE menu is always incorrect. Mine shows time and date 25 years in the future and no way to correct it.


I can confirm the first two glitches in 3 TV's - Mine, my friend's and the one in COSTCO. The third glitch - maybe it is a local issue with my TV but I doubt it.


I called up Vizio Tech support. I was waiting on the phone for 1 hour and the phone got dis-connected. Called up again and got someone on the line after 1:30 hour wait. The technician (or whoever took down my name/number) did not understand the issue at all and told me I have a faulty remote !! The call was conveniently dropped while I was still talking to the technician and asked to speak with someone who can understand the issue.


Go figure !!

 

[catmother]



Quote:
Originally Posted by king99 /forum/post/0


I bought a Vizio GV47L from Costco last week. Have been pretty satisfied by the picture quality (even though I still have not yet fine tuned the picture settings). I see three important firmware glitches and am surprised to see no mention on this forum:


Following is the scenario:


==> FIRST GLITCH


1. Auto-Tune all Analog + Digital Channels on the TV.

2. I tune 81 analog + 64 Digital Channels (including Music Channels).

3. Jump to any Channel less than 125 by directly keying in the channel number on the remote.

4. The TV jumps to the newly selected channel.

5. Now key in a channel greater than 125. The TV responds back with a Info Bar (white over gray) - "NO CHANNEL"

6. If, instead of executing step 5 above, if CH+ or CH- is incrementally pressed, the TV properly changes the channel and locks on the channel which is tuned (even for channel numbers greater than 125).


In short, sequential search works, direct indexing does not !


==> SECOND GLITCH


1. Clicking on the INFO button on Digital HD Channels (e.g. INHD1, INHD2, MTV) results in the INFO BAR "NO SIGNAL".

2. For other channels, it returns appropriately with the SCAN rate, CC status, INPUT etc.


==> THIRD GLITCH


1. GUIDE button on the remote is available for only some CHANNELS. Maybe this is by design.

2. The Clock on the GUIDE menu is always incorrect. Mine shows time and date 25 years in the future and no way to correct it.


I can confirm the first two glitches in 3 TV's - Mine, my friend's and the one in COSTCO. The third glitch - maybe it is a local issue with my TV but I doubt it.


I called up Vizio Tech support. I was waiting on the phone for 1 hour and the phone got dis-connected. Called up again and got someone on the line after 1:30 hour wait. The technician (or whoever took down my name/number) did not understand the issue at all and told me I have a faulty remote !! The call was conveniently dropped while I was still talking to the technician and asked to speak with someone who can understand the issue.


Go figure !!

Item 1 Blame your provider. Mine with TWCSD acts the same way. Channels above 125 are not normally tuned by CATV tuners. My Sharp 37 does not and I was surprised to see these on the Vizio. Count yourself fortunate to receive these at all


2. Basically same reason as 1


3. Guide data is only available for DTV channels. Analog broadcasts do not contain this unless you have a set with TVGOS which reads program data sent during the vertical blanking interval.


3. Did you set the time zone for your location. There is an entry for that in one of the setup menus. I have also run into incorrect times for some DTV broadcasts. This is due to incorrect programming of the PSIP block in the DTV digital data stream. Blame the broadcaster for this one

 

[catmother]

After reading every post on the (now closed - congratulations moderator) Official V47 thread I have the following observations, to be helpful - not critical:


The posts on this TV display a love/hate attitude that leaves me puzzled. There must be some basis for the many who express admiration while others condemn Vizio. Some of it is Vizio QC , hum for example, but why the widely different reports of image deficiencies ?.

IMO, although I have no proof, is that poor source material is mostly responsible, especially for users of cable TV and cable TV recorders.


I have a 100 foot cable run from the pole to TV area. Although TWC used hi quality double shielded RG6, Cable frequency tops out at 800 MHz for hyperband. http://www.jneuhaus.com/fccindex/cablech.html

RG6 has considerable attenuation about 6 db per 100 feet. Hence 1/4 of the signal power is lost

Then, users use passive splitters, losing 3 db per output on top of that.


I feed 7 devices and use 2 R/S 15-1197 low noise bi-directional active splitters, 1 input - 4 output, cascaded, leaving 7 amplified outputs. The amps have 7 db gain from 54-1000MHz and have a 10db gain control. This arrangement insures adequate signal level, without overloading, resulting in good SD PQ on the Vizio on the Sony DHG-HDD250, the Mits SVHS VCR, the Sony HGX-800 SD recorder, the Sharp 37D5U in the bedroom and a panasonic 20 inch CRT in the study and to the ATI TV wonder 650 in the computer.

With these amplifiers every unit shows good noise free reception.


That said, I virtually always watch TV via a Sony DHG-HDD250 High Definition digital video recorder. This recorder, now discontinued, sold at 799 MSRP. It has been observed in the thread on this unit that the video processing is of very high quality and probably exceeded only by the new Tivo series 3. Note, I am comparing to recorders, not hi-end TV sets. Considering the Sony price it is reasonable to conclude that that recorder is superior to anything the CATV people foist on on their customers for a 6-10 dollar monthly rental.


The recorder is connected to the (6 day old V47) HDMI input 1 ,set to 1080i, and rewards me with excellent PQ on the Vizio. It also allows 1 chasing play, 2 instant record, TVGOS for ATV, DTV, analog and digital cable, 3 the capability to play back, pause, photograph paused scenes for posting and experimenting with the Vizio picture controls using those paused scenes.


Using scenes from a HDTV OTA high quality broadcast I discovered that the Adaptive Luma setting in the Advanced picture controls, if on, badly supresses blacks. Turn it of and see for yourself. Luma when off, does lighten the entire image and may require reducing Brightness by about 5 clicks. Luma, has a pronounced effect on the image, none of the other settings show any real discernable effect.


I realize not everyone has a HDTV recorder but rest assured that after comparing PQ between the V47 direct and the recorder HDMI input I find no fault with the Vizio video processing


I have also observed that the six day 'burn-in' has improved PQ.

For more of my posts on this TV go to http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=777914 and scan for 'catmother' I have posted DVE/Avia calibration data and screen photos


Also take a look at my public profile and see my background.

 

[king99]



Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/0


Item 1 Blame your provider. Mine with TWCSD acts the same way. Channels above 125 are not normally tuned by CATV tuners. My Sharp 37 does not and I was surprised to see these on the Vizio. Count yourself fortunate to receive these at all


2. Basically same reason as 1


3. Guide data is only available for DTV channels. Analog broadcasts do not contain this unless you have a set with TVGOS which reads program data sent during the vertical blanking interval.


3. Did you set the time zone for your location. There is an entry for that in one of the setup menus. I have also run into incorrect times for some DTV broadcasts. This is due to incorrect programming of the PSIP block in the DTV digital data stream. Blame the broadcaster for this one

Vizio GV47L supports QAM tuner which allows direct reception of DTV. If the channels are tuned by the set, they ought to be accessible from the remote from all possible ways, not only in a certain sequence. This is not how Vizio's 46 inch model behaves.

 

[JeffXP]



Quote:
Originally Posted by king99 /forum/post/0


Vizio GV47L supports QAM tuner which allows direct reception of DTV. If the channels are tuned by the set, they ought to be accessible from the remote from all possible ways, not only in a certain sequence. This is not how Vizio's 46 inch model behaves.

I agree. I was told by one of my friends that he has a friend had the same issue and called Vizio. Vizio said there is a firmware update already, and the service rep asked the guy to connect a phone line to the service port at the back of the TV, and he is going to send the update. Apparently, there is a modem build in the TV? I don't have the rest of the story yet... I also send an email to tech support at Vizio. Keep tuned...


The service port does look like a phone jack (from user manual):

I did test it out by plugging a phone line in: it fits perfectly.

 

[bobn4burton]



Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffXP /forum/post/0


I agree. I was told by one of my friends that he has a friend had the same issue and called Vizio. Vizio said there is a firmware update already, and the service rep asked the guy to connect a phone line to the service port at the back of the TV, and he is going to send the update. Apparently, there is a modem build in the TV? I don't have the rest of the story yet... I also send an email to tech support at Vizio. Keep tuned...

Hmmm...interesting. So maybe the firmware WILL be upgradeable by the end-user. Although it might be a pain to actually get an upgrade if you have to sit on hold for 3 hours with tech support. But at least it might be possible to upgrade the firmware.


Maybe they'll add an option to turn-off/adjust overscan...doubt they would be nice enough, but here's to hoping!

 

[JeffXP]

Well, the friend finally admitted that he didn't talk to Vizio customer rep; he hear from other guy. This leads to no where.


I haven't receive email reply from Vizio yet, but I did call them. The guy insists that the TV can not tune in any channel over 125, even after I repeatedly told him I get several channel starting from 403 for HD, and channels 802-846 for musicl choices. After about 10 minutes, the talk didn't go anywhere. I guess he is just another clueless customer rep...


I still believe it is a small software glitch which can be easily fixed. The turner already scanned the channel and remembers the frequency of each channel. That is why the up/down channel button works. It may be just as simply as removing the code:

if (channelSeleted > 125)

display("NO CHANNEL);

 

[king99]

Well.... The point is that the tech. folks at Vizio are clueless (or have been asked to sound like one). My issue is what if there is a real issue with the set down the line. Where would it lead the owners? Probably back to Costco !!


Anyway, I too sent the techsupp an email. Lets see where this leads. Will keep this thread updated.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffXP /forum/post/0


Well, the friend finally admitted that he didn't talk to Vizio customer rep; he hear from other guy. This leads to no where.


I haven't receive email reply from Vizio yet, but I did call them. The guy insists that the TV can not tune in any channel over 125, even after I repeatedly told him I get several channel starting from 403 for HD, and channels 802-846 for musicl choices. After about 10 minutes, the talk didn't go anywhere. I guess he is just another clueless customer rep...


I still believe it is a small software glitch which can be easily fixed. The turner already scanned the channel and remembers the frequency of each channel. That is why the up/down channel button works. It may be just as simply as removing the code:

if (channelSeleted > 125)

display("NO CHANNEL);

 

[soyuppy]

I have the same problems. I did called Vizio tech as well.


* Regarding Guide button on the menu. This only works on Digital Channel > 100?

* If the Guide display the date/time wrong, that means that the signal is not well-received? Although you can watched it on tv, but the data info stream is not strong. This is what cause it to not remember the channel and further create problem when trying to go the channel directly. Not sure if I buy all that, but don't know what else to argu. She suggested that I rescan the channel. Since I was at work, I couldn't do it right there while she wait. When I get home, I rescanned. Still the same problem.


I think this this is one of the drawback I have on this set. But it's not a major one since I am considering switching over to sat.


My other petpeev is the the SD PQ. The HD PQ is good, but there are that many HD programs. So wife and children has to watch SD, especially children program. And they look awful!!!

 

[sfhondapilot]



Quote:
Originally Posted by soyuppy /forum/post/0



* Regarding Guide button on the menu. This only works on Digital Channel > 100?

I get Guide info on channels below 100 (Comcast extended analog package).

 

[JeffXP]



Quote:
Originally Posted by soyuppy /forum/post/0


* Regarding Guide button on the menu. This only works on Digital Channel > 100?

I have comcast extended basic (analog) too. It was Adelphia, but was bought by Comcast. It was just switched to Comcast system in the last couple weeks, so the system is still in transition state: some of the problem may due to the cable system, not TV. But for whatever it worths, here is what I get:


For the Info button, channels below 125 works fine (including analog and digital). Channels over 125 does not work: it just show: NO SIGNAL.


For the Guide, needless to say, only digital channels could work for any TV. In my Vizio, only digital channels below 125 work.


As far as I can see, the 125 cutoff exists for the remote channel selection, the Info button and the Guide screen. These 3 problems may be fixed at the same time. Let's hope...

 

[JeffXP]

I finally got a reply from Vizio (after 1 week). Here it is:

Quote:
I really do not see an easy solution to your problem. Since the VIZIO

internal tuner is only designed to accept 126 channels, asking the tuner

to go beyond that would yield unpredictable results. Especially since

Cable Providers across the country do not have to conform to any

universal standard on how their digital channels are mapped, it would be

almost impossible to create a digital tuner that would be compatible

with every Cable Provider in the nation. I think that the Cable

Providers do this intentionally so that it would be inconvenient not to

use their cable box, forcing you to pay and use their set top box. The

VIZIO tuner really excels with over the air broadcasts, using an outdoor

antenna to pick up your local analog and digital broadcast because FCC

regulations are much more clearly defined with that type of transmission

and the VIZIO tuner has no difficulty picking up those types of signals

(given proper signal strength and directionality). Unless your Cable

Provider can provide the channel mapping for channels above 99, it will

be difficult to find a workable solution to your problem. I apologize

for the inconvenience.

So here is my qestions:

1) Although what he said about the inconsistent mappings among cable providers may be true, I don't agree his conclusions that "it is almost impossible to" tune in a channel over 125 directly. Since after auto search, the turner already knows all the channels (with its mapping), how hard it will be to look up the channel frequency using the mapping (for a channel over 125)?


2) "Unless your Cable Provider can provide the channel mapping for channels above 99 ... ", is this what he talking about: say, channel 10-2 is mapped to channel 140, the TV remember the channel as 140, but in order to tune in the channel, it has to know the channel's frequency, which the TV can only get from sub-channel 10-2?

 

[ZigFamily]

I parsed through the other Vizio 47" thread and extracted the various settings that folks had posted there. Cross posted here for your enjoyment.


Zig


---------------------------


sifilm


Backlight: 52

Contrast: 91

Brightness :46

color: 68

tint: +15

sharpness: +4

color temp: RGB 119/131/128

Advanced settings:

DNR: low

Black level extender: on

White limiter: on

CTI low

flesh tone: off

dynamic backligith: off

adaptive luma: off

+++

pg13


Looks great, here's my settings after using Sound & Vision's CD:

Backlight: 6

Contrast: 100 (not worried about burn in on this set)

Brightness: 50

Color: 57

Tint: 0

Sharpness: 1


Color Temp: Normal (I selected this because Vizio says it's closest to the 6500k)


Advanced Picture Adjust : Turn EVERYTHING off.


Got some of the ideas CNETs darkroom settings on the 42".

+++

DCAC


Backlight: 30

Contrast: 85

Brightness: 34

Color: 68

Tint: +14

Sharpness: 4


Color Temperature:

Red: 119

Green: 131

Blue: 128


Advanced Picture Adjust:

DNR: Low

Black Level Extender: On

White Peak Limiter: On

CTI: Low

Flesh Tone: Off

Dynamic Backlight: Off

Adaptive Luma: Off


+++

bgbop15


Backlight - 83

Contrast - 62

Brightness - 45

Color - 54

Tint - +2

Sharpness - 3

Red 128

Green 132

Blue 128

All Advanced Options OFF


+++

heelphan


Picture Mode: Custom

Backlight: 45

Contrast: 63

Brightness: 45

Color: 50

Tint: +2

Sharpness: 2

Color Temp: Custom

Advanced Picture Adjust: Everything OFF


+++

pvjavsforum


Backlight = 50

Contrast = 98

brightness = 50

Color = 58

Tint = +1

Sharpness = 2


Red = 125

Green = 150

Blue 130


+++

catmother


Backlight - 83

Contrast - 62

Brightness - 45

Color - 54

Tint - +2

Sharpness - 3

Red 128

Green 132

Blue 128

All Advanced Options OFF


+++

92inchlcd


Backlight: 45

Contrast: 27

Brightness : 50

color: 49

tint: +1

sharpness: +2

color temp: RGB 129/128/124

Advanced settings:

DNR: low

Black level extender: on

White limiter: on

CTI low

flesh tone: off

dynamic backligith: off

adaptive luma: off



I also tuned it using INHD "Tune-up" through Comcast Motorola Dual-tuner DVR via component:


Backlight: 45

Contrast: 55

Brightness :47

color: 60

tint: +8

sharpness: +4

color temp: RGB 128/128/128

Advanced settings:

DNR: low

Black level extender: on

White limiter: on

CTI low

flesh tone: off

dynamic backligith: off

adaptive luma: off


+++

hihostevo


He [TV tech] would visually first turn off all the color and tint and do a grey-scale adjustment to get a nice smooth ramp of greys and then he would adjust the contrast, brightness, color, tint, and finally sharpness.


+++

coach mcguirk


backlight 50

contrast 94

Brightness56

Color 59

tint +2

Sharpness 3

Red 119

Green 121

Blue 126

All advanced off except

DNR Low

Black Level Extender On


+++

algeea


Backlight:0

Contrast: 84

Brightness: 53

Color: 59

Tint: +2

Sharpness: 3

Color: 128,128,128

DNR: low everything else off


+++

sea_bird200


Black Light 100

Contract 80

Brightness 55

Color 50

Tint 0

Sharpness 6

Red 119

Green 121

Blue 131

DNR off

Black Level extender off

White Limiter off

CTI off

Flesh Tone off

Dynamic Black Light off

Adaptive Luna off


+++

derek_htpc


- Calibrated brightness/contrast/temp using grey and RGB ramp images

- Backlight 40 (black levels are not super, but decent)

- Contrast 90

- Brightness 50

- Tint 0

- Sharpness 4 (no sharpening or blurring)

- Color Temp RGB 128, 128, 128 (pretty close to 6500K)

- Advanced Picture all OFF


+++

twoutrally


Backlight: 43

Contrast: 95

Bright:50

Color:56

Tint+5

Sharp:6

Color Temp: Custom

DNR: Strong

Black & White Level: On

CTI: low

The rest off


Note: Turning the Adaptive Luma ON will make the blacks much blacker

 

[JeffXP]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ZigFamily /forum/post/0


I parsed through the other Vizio 47" thread and extracted the various settings that folks had posted there. Cross posted here for your enjoyment.

Thanks, ZigFamily. For easy reading, I've put them into a table, and add an average column in the end.


In the table, if the row AdvanceSettings is off, it means all advance settings are off.

 

[Don't h8]

this is AWESOME! I had some random printouts on settings, but reset everything after I threw out the paper and have been to lazy to scroll through 80+ pages for them again. this table by far makes it easier to "calibrate" based on others settings

 

[blueduramax]

Thanks for the settings. I have been moving mine around and learning what I think is best. One thing for sure, I really like this TV!


Jay

 

[edubbrulez]

I want to thank Catmother for all his hard work. His posts have been very informative, and I can attest that his settings do make my GV47L look pretty damn good. Even appears to decrease the amount of posterization that I was seeing.


Thanks again,


Erik

 

[GREENGA]



Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffXP /forum/post/0


Thanks, ZigFamily. For easy reading, I've put them into a table, and add an average column in the end.


In the table, if the row AdvanceSettings is off, it means all advance settings are off.

Would it be possible to post this spreadsheet somewhere where other forums members could download it?

 

[JeffXP]



Quote:
Originally Posted by GREENGA /forum/post/0


Would it be possible to post this spreadsheet somewhere where other forums members could download it?

Unfortunately, the website I am using (imageshack.us) can only host image file. Can I ask why do you need the spreadsheet? Is the image enough?


I have the table in Word, but I can easily export it into spreadsheet I guess.

 

[sfhondapilot]

For anyone who cares, here are THX Optimizer instructions for the test pattern contained on the Toy Story DVD.

 

OptimizerInstructionsForToyStoryI.pdf 222.9287109375k . file