Warning! Sony KF50WE620 Inputs Suck!
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Schlepp Unregistered guest | New UNPLEASANT revelation about my new sony KF50WE620 ... a big selling feature of any new 50" TV for me was being able to hook up my Notebook and view pictures. When the Store sales guys told me I could still hookup my Notebook PC to this TV via simple VGA to DVI connector, I said, ok great, even though the Sony has 2 less Component inputs than the Panasonic PT-50DL54, and even though the Sony has DVI instead of the newer HDMI, and even though the Sony has NO VGA inputs like the Panny does, and even though the Sony has NO generic Memory card reader like the Panny does, I liked the picture on the Sony better, so I went Sony. Got it home and have been loving it - but when I went to hookup my Notebook the other day, to view photos, I found it is **much **much trickier than using a simple VGA out from Notebook to DVI connector on the Sony!!! The SONY "DVI is NOT MADE for PC use", so says the Manual!!! One work around is to go VGA to Component, but you have to get a Transcoder @ $180 US, then you have to use one of your Component inputs (as the Sony only has 2 Components, one for my existing DVD player and one for Notebook, so the X-box then has to sit on the shelf or you're swapping cables behind the TV all the time)  Upon further investigation, a DVI out from an ATI or Nvidia Video card Home Theatre PC to your Sony can work (although most Notebook PC's don't have the cards needed), but requires extensive tweaks in the TV's service menu and the PC (not for the faint of heart), and likely voids your warranty. THIS SUCKS SONY!!!! In effect, this TV is NOT the best choice for anyone who wants view to hookup a PC. Everyone else offers at least a VGA input, but Sony evidently doesn't want any PC's near this TV. My Grand Wega KF50WE620 has: 1 DVI, **2 Components - NO VGA inputs, NO CARD memory card reader, no HDMI Panasonic PT-50DL54 has **FOUR (4) Component inputs, **VGA inputs, **HDMI, and a **generic memory card reader that reads ALL formats! IF ONLY, the PT-50DL54 had the same picture quality, I'd get it in a flash! Any suggestions anyone? Most DLP's have lots of inputs as well, but they give me eyestrain. 15 days left on this TV's trial and I can't see anything that can compete on picture that has the inputs I want that isn't DLP! groan! |
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Aborro Unregistered guest | Hey Schlepp, I feel your pain on the lack of inputs. However, I received my KF50WE620 on Saturday and promptly connected it to my HTPC via DVI and it works great! Other than about 3% overscan the image from DVI is beautiful and requires no tweaking. You may find the overscan bothersome if you use your computer for tasks other than watching DVDs or recorded TV shows, but you can easily get around that problem with strategically placed shortcuts on the desktop. As far as voiding your warranty, thats BS. All manufacturers insert that warning in their manuals about DVI connections and personal computers because they do not want to support the potential issues like overscan. As far as Nvidia video cards, they currently provide the best support for digital connections to your HDTV and it keeps getting better with each driver revision. Apparently, the 66.xx revision is rumored to provide the tools needed to obtain a quality, underscanned image from your DVI connection. I just have one big problem with this TV - the black levels are absolutely atrocious! I've calibrated with the THX optimizer and it has improved the overall color but so called blacks are still grey with a severe lack of detail in the shadows. People have apparently improved the black levels in the service menu so I might have to venture into the unknown because the lack of details in the shadows is really bothering me! |
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Schlepp Unregistered guest | Thanks for the feedback Aborro! As far as voiding the warranty I was referring to having to go into the Service menu to tweak the overscan issue (I've heard that voids the warranty - do you know more?): http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=321968&perpage=20&high light=1304x734&pagenumber=1 http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3326925#post3326925 I waded through the above threads yesterday and saw the Nvidia card conclusions you speak of. I'm wondering, do you know of any Notebooks that have an Nvidia Video Card that will work with Sony tweaks? I'd love to be able to keep this beast, but am concerned that once I get HD satellite receiver onboard, I'll be out of DVI inputs with the Sony to even do the HTPC deal you're speaking of. any more feedback is appreciated! Looking for solutions. I notice the new Hitachi 50VS810 has 2 HDMI's and a USB camera reader. Wonder if the HDMI can be tweaked like ths Sony seems to be able to? My blacks seem ok .... I don't notice them being too weak. How will you deal with an HD Satellite receiver on your Sony if/when you get one? |
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Aborro Unregistered guest | Schlepp, I was in the same situation when considering this TV and its one DVI input. I definitely wanted to connect my HTPC to it, but that left out any hope of connecting HD cable/satellite via DVI. However, after reading many other opinions, it seems like the difference between Component and DVI through the HD set top boxes is not as significant as you would think. And since most of my viewing is pre-recorded material in the form of DVDs and TV shows on my HTPC, I'm willing to sacrifice a marginal gain in HD quality from the HD set top box. On the other hand, using the DVI input for the HTPC saves one set of component video inputs for another device like an XBox since I play my DVDs from the HTPC. As far as notebooks with Nvidia graphics - you can definitely get them - check out the HP and Toshiba brands. Any reason you would want to connect a notebook instead of a PC? I was reading some of your posts on another thread regarding the Sony GW KF50WE620 and you indicated that you have the unit setup in a relatively bright room. That would prevent you from noticing the poor black levels. I do most of my viewing in a dark room with a dimly lit lamp and can definitely notice the lack of shadow detail. Hopefully some tweaks in the SM will help. And yes, screwing up something in the SM would most likely void your warranty, but only if you screw up! :-) |
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Schlepp Unregistered guest | Does your HTPC go two ways on the DVI? In other words, can you record and play back later or are you only able to serve to the Sony? If you can record (which graphics card is best) then I guess an HTPC is the Shiznit with this Sony, BUT, if it only serves up DVD's and lets you monkey around on your PC over the Big Screen, then I'm not sure I'd be happy putting my pricey,soon to delivered HD box onto component. Can you get your HTPC to act like a PVR and record in SD/HD/What? Which video card? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. TIA |
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Aborro Unregistered guest | DVI is a one-way connection only. You cannot record through the connection. I run Microsoft Media Center on my HTPC which takes care of all the PVR tasks. You need a hardware mpeg encoding TV tuner card like the Hauppauge PVR-250. I can only record in SD from this card via an S-Video cable from my Motorola digital cable box. However, you can get HD encoding cards but they are not currently supported by PVR applications like MCE, Beyond TV or Sage TV. My HTPC specs are as follows: Asus A7N266-VM Motherboard with SPDIF out AMD Athlon XP 2100 Processor 512MB PC2700 Seagate 7200.7 200GB Hard Drive LG 16X DVD-ROM Drive MSI GeForce FX-5200 128MB Video Card Hauppauge WinTV PVR-250 All enclosed in an Antec Sonata Piano Black Case |
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Schlepp Unregistered guest | great info ... Lets say you were recording Satellite via S-video into your HTPC PVR, then you would be watching at the same rez as your are recording? Is the HTPC PVR pause/fast forward and program choice functions as easy and fast to use as a Satellite PVR? I've seen how easy they are to use! ~ What if you recorded some SD to hard drive of the HTPC, and then played it back via your PC DVI out to TV - do you see any better rez or is it the same original SVideo quality? (I'm guessing its the same but just thought I'd ask) ~ I would expect DVD's will look pretty good playing from your PC and will likely accomodate higher rez (720P?) DVD's into the future - but if you are viewing the DVD from your HTPC at Native TV resolution (1386x788 - or more likely at 1280X720 without tweaking the TV) will therte be much of a gain over a good stand alone progressive scan DVD player? Just trying to get a handle on the advantages of having an HTPC versus the convenience of non HTPC setup such as: 1) SD Satellite with built in PVR, 2) a decent DVD player hooked up to the component of your TV and 3) a Photo reader hooked into TV SVideo? Other than being able to also surf the Net and play PC games on the Big TV screen, how is the HTPC setup better? ... TIA |
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Aborro Unregistered guest | Yes, the resolution you feed into the PVR will be the same as when you view it. Note that this doesn't apply to HD signals, since you would need an HD tuner card and software PVR capable of supporting it. Using the native resolution (1280 x 720) of the TV and a good DVD decoder like Windvd 6.0 or Nvidia 4.0, you will notice a bit of an improvement when playing DVDs through the HTPC. However, it really shines when you use some kind of post processing via an application like FFDSHOW which allows you to upscale the resolution of the DVD. I think you answered your own question in those 3 points - you only need one machine to do everything with only one connection to your TV! |
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Schlepp Unregistered guest | Aborro ... I'm looking at WinTV PVR 350 and/or HDTV tuner for a PC, do you know of anything like this one that will also act as a PVR? http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_hd.html Any suggestions for software that may work with the above HD tuner card (or other ones) and work as PVR? Or am I only going to find SD PVR like this one: http://hauppage.com/pages/products/data_pvr350.html Thanks again Aborro! .... did you find any help getting into the service menu of the TV, to improve Greyscales? |
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Griffin88 Unregistered guest | I have an option to get the older model KF50WE610 or the newer KFWE620? Discounting the obvious absence of media card reader and PIP tuner, is everything else the same, better or worse? |
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Schlepp Unregistered guest | I've heard from FutureShop that the 620 has a slightly brighter bulb (10% brighter picture) and it also has overcome all the bulb fast burnout issues that some early 610's had. I have not verified this with Sony however. I like the 610 black bevel look better, but the 620 is the upgraded version,(didn't know the 610 doesn't have the PIP - I use the split screen PIP quite a lot and Sony has made it one of the best adjustable split screen/pip arrangements I've seen) If you go for the 610, I'd make sure the store will warranty early bulb burnout due to past bulb problems. |
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