KF-60XBR800 Sony's New Grand Wega LCD Projection
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page| Thread | Last Poster | Posts | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archive through September 17, 2003 | Anonymous | 553 |
|
John Greer | You can expect dead pixels on LCD TV just like on notebook computers. Most manufacturers have a threshold (total number or several clumped together) before they will take any action under warranty (usually, the only fix is to replace the unit). Its a bummer but goes with the territory. |
|
Anonymous | John Greer, So will dead pixels just keep appearing until they take over the entire screen? |
|
Anonymous | John Greer, So will dead pixels just keep appearing until they take over the entire screen? |
|
Chorizo | I had sony replace a dead blue pixel. They gave me no problem whatsoever. I have no idea what the severity is of yours, but mine was towards the middle of the screen, and could be viewed from over 10 feet away. They were very nice about it, sent a tech after hours for in home repair, and had the whole thing replaced (with a part they ordered) in under a week. To be fair, the company that did the repair was Elite Electronics in Oakland, CA. I have heard a lot of people tell them that Sony said they wouldn't repair it. I don't know how it works, but I would guess that in the end, sony relies on a tech evaluating the problem. So I would recommend: 1) finding a sony authorized service tech in your area willing to come out and service the tv. 2) Keep going through the list until one agrees that it's a big enough problem 3) Show them the probem in the dark, on a black screen (my blue pixel faded to nothing on a lot of shots). Just my advice, gathered from people's experiences on messageboards and my personal service experience. |
|
Anonymous | Chorizo, My LCD screen has the same blue pixel as you mentioned, about six inches from the middle of the screen. It can be easily seen during any dark scene and is very distracting. Sony said that they will not repair it, saying it is not a malfunction. I disagree. I did not spend four thousand dollars to be constantly irritated by the bright blue dot on the screen. If everyone was informed of this before buying, that Sony would not fix it, I would NOT have purchased this unit. Any other helpful hints from those with the same problem? |
|
Chorizo | How did you communicate with Sony? Was it on the phone, via email, or from their web service form? For reference, I went through their web form, described the problem as severe, visible from all viewing angles at over 10' away, in the center of the screen, and unacceptably distracting. They responded via email the very next day and said they were contacting one of their external repair companies. That company called within a few hours, and scheduled an appointment for that night. Like I said, I have no idea why they are so different to different people, but I do know that they fixed my tv very quickly and without hassle. |
|
Anonymous | Chorizo, What did they do to correct your situation? How do they fix a dead pixel? I have several green and blue dead pixels but the are not visable from 2 feet away. I just wonder if one day I will have a huge one and have to deal with Sony. |
|
| Hi all... this is a very informative place. I have the 60 GW 2, got it in June and love it..'cept just the other day I have been seeing a blue ghost shadow off to the left of most of the images, the letters are the worst. This happens with both the io digital signal as well as with the sony ns999es dvd player. Any clues? The quick fix in setting is not the answer as far as I am concerned. seems like it's a lense thing. HELP |
|
| Living on Saipan caused me some anxiety about ordering my 60"wega. It was going to be on a boat for approxinmatly 1 month from west coast before it got here.I also purchased a sony SLV-n900VCR,Panasonic SA-HE100 reciever and Panasonic DVD RP91N and a roomfull of Bose speakers.It took as long as expected to get here and some anxiety on my part from reading this forum a couple times a week until delivery. After arrival at my house i let this set sit without turning it on for 24hrs. When i turned the set on I was half assed expecting more than my share of dead pixels but nothing, not one. another anxiety was that we have about 10 satelite channels here, Hong Kong, Australia,Armed Forces. Mostly though we have an analog cable system that shows prercorded programming out of San Francisco which is shown 1 week after recording. I was worried about the TV image and I am happy to say that it is really good.I watch on regular mode(50"diag.pict.) and wide of coarse with DVD. I am very happy with this TV and have recommended it to friends.I also like to add that I have Sony camera's and the hook-ups for them are easy to use so are used much more often than in the past. |
|
Chorizo | To fix dead pixels, they need to replace the "optic block", which is basically the entire guts of the TV, but fits in a small box (the optic block contains the LCD panels which are about 1 inch wide, that's where the dead pixel comes from). Outside of the optic block, there's a bulb assembly, a bunch of electronic controllers, and the screen/mirror assembly, so the optic block is a major piece of the TV. From what the service tech said, it would cost 1,000 dollars to replace outside of warranty. The replacement involved pulling out most of the electronic panels from the back of the TV, replacing the block, and putting everything back. Took about a half hour and was done by 1 person, who had obviously done it before. From what I have read about the dead pixels, they are most likely to be dead from the factory (they burn them in for something like 24 hours and most show up in that time). Some people have had them show up up to 3 weeks later. I haven't heard of anyone having them show up after that. If you can't see the dead pixels from over 2 feet, I don't think they're going to replace them. Even my replacement isn't perfect, there's a green one on the top, but I can't see it from more than a foot away. I think there are always going to be some, it's the nature of this technology, but if you can't see them from where you sit, it's no difference than any other defect in any other tv technology. Patrick J: you need to look at the Image Revision setting of your menu. Change it and see which one is better. I'm not sure if this is what you meant by "quick fix" or not, but sometimes ghosting can happen out of the blue and is easily fixed by changing the image revision. |
|
Anonymous | Chorizo, Thank you for explaining about the replacement of the dead pixels. I appreciate it! |
|
Anonymous | Why still waiting for 60WE610. Thank you DA. Now I know why 60XBR800 is the best choice. " 60WE610 is 100lb and 45lb less than 60xbr800. That's the $1000 gone from. In xbr800, there is a huge 'first surface' mirror which projects image onto the screen. For the best performance in contrast, brightness, color, resolution, deformation and so on, it should be made from 1/4" optical glass. That caused 60xbr800 so heavy so expensive but so much better. " |
|
| Chorizo, Thanks. I did that and it works however, I have to keep readjusting the setting depending on what channel is on. I called Sony and they are sendinf a tech over but not till the 10th of Oct. so I'll have to be patient. I wonder what the cause is. |
|
Anonymous | Here are the specs for the 60WE610. It has a firts surface mirror. • Features • Improved Contrast • Improved Black Level • High Resolution Panel • Clear Corner Focus • No Flicker • No Phosphor Burning • No Misconvergence • Slim Table Top Design • Increased Longevity • V Chip Parental Control • Video Label • Sleep Timer • On Screen Display in English/Spanish/French • Program Palette Presets • Speed Surf Channel Selection • Auto Channel Program • Caption Vision (CC) • Channel Fix • Channel Label • Channel Skip/Add • Clock/Timer (2 Event) • Favorite Channel with Preview • Audio Features • TruSurround® SRS® Audio Sound Processing • 3D Audio System (30 Watts) • Steady Sound® Automatic Volume Control • Wide Modes (Normal, Full, Zoom, Wide Zoom) • Wide XGA LCD Panels --- Three wide XGA LCD panels, one for each RGB (Red, Green, Blue) signal that resolve 1,092,168 million dots. This provides a total picture resolution of 3.28 million dots for crisp, precise picture detail. • - Superfine Pitch Lenticular Screen --- Conventional CRT PJ = 0.72mm; Grand WEGA® = 0.155mm • - Wide (Vertical) Viewing Angle --- Conventional CRT PJ = 34 Degrees; Grand WEGA = 60 Degrees • Optical Engine --- Sony's original engine, that provides a high-resolution picture from corner to corner across the entire screen; it also renders an image with high brightness utilizing a 100W UHP (Ultra High Pressure) Lamp that can be easily replaced by the owner. • CineMotion Reverse 3-2 Pull-Down Technology --- A fixed algorithm irrespective of source which preserves the integrity of movie film frames to create the best possible image. • HDTV Monitor • 0.87" WXGA LCD Panels • 3.28 Million Dots of Resolution • 1,092,168 Million Dots per Panel • Sony's Proprietary WEGA Engine System --- Direct Digital Circuitry, Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction Circuitry, Multi Image Driver (MID X) Circuitry • Low Profile Cosmetic Design • Cinemotion Reverse 3-2 Pulldown Technology • Enhanced Memory Stick® Media Playback* • Super Fine Pitch Lenticular Screen with Hard Coating • DVI-HDTV Interface • Video Features • 16:9 Aspect Ratio • High Definition Television Monitor • Three Wide XGA LCD Panels: 3.28 Million Dots Resolution (1386 x 788 x 3) • UHP Lamp (100W) • First Surface Mirror • Cinemotion Reverse 3-2 Pull Down Technology • 3D Digital Comb Filter • Multi-Image Driver (MID X) Circuitry • Flexible Twin-View 2-Tuner Picture-and-Picture (HD, NTSC) • Wide Modes (Normal, Full, Zoom, Wide Zoom) • Program Palette Presets • Specifications • A/V Inputs --- Component Video(Y/Pb/Pr) Inputs: 2 Rear (1080i, 720p, 480p, 1480i) Composite Inputs: 1 Front/2 Rear S Video Inputs: 1 Front/2 Rear DVI-HDTV Interface: 1 Rear Audio Inputs: 1 Front/5 Rear Control S Out: 1 Rear Subwoofer Out: 1 Rear • Power Requirements --- AC 120V 60Hz • Weights and Measures • Approx Dimensions (w/h/d) --- 63 3/4 x 42 x 21 1/4" (1619 x 1067 x 541mm) • Approx Weights --- 100 lbs (45 kg) • Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Inputs --- 2 rear (1080i, 720p, 480p, 1480i) • Composite Inputs --- 1 Front/ 2 Rear • S Video Inputs --- 1 Front/ 2 reer • DVI-HDTV Interface --- 1 rear • Aufio Inputs --- 1 front/ 5 rear • control S out --- 1 rear • subwoofer out --- 1 rear |
|
Anonymous | I don't think 60we610 is any thing better than 60xbr800 excepte its appearance. The most importance is that the first surface mirror in 60xbr800 is made from thick optical glass not some thing else like thin plastic. Another importance we should take an attention is that the 60we610 has no the double coating screen shell. That's why those "improved" in 60we610 come without any comparation. |
|
Anonymous | Brian, what happened to the info on the GWIII 610 series? |
|
Anonymous | The 42" and 50" GW 610's are starting to come out. Anyone have a review? |
|
kuda | Has anybody seen the new SONY KDF-70XBR950? |
|
Anonymous | Kuda, those are not scheduled to come out until November. |
|
urbancowboy | reading all the posts i am now starting to get worried about my purchase of the KF50WE610. with all the posts on dead and stuck pixels WOW! starting to make me wonder. saw the 50 in. xbr and what an incredible picture it was awsome to say the least. as far as comparing the xbr to this one was the 610 had more pixels and should have even better picture assuming we can tell the difference. was told that the xbr series are going to be phased out and only sold by high end electronic stores which means higher PRICES if this is true that is. bought the extended 5 yr warranty and good thing for 30 day money back guarantee. its alot of money to spend to have tv problems and a hassle to get them fixed. also has anyone purchased a high end surge protecter as was told that this can improve picture quality as the voltage is at a constant 120 volts not fluctuating. i wonder if this has some impact on the pixel problem. can anyone comment on this ?? have my fingers crossed i encounter no problems |
|
Anonymous | Urban cowboy, I have about 10 pixels burnt out on my TV and unless you walk up to the TV and stand right up and get 5 inches from the set, you can not see them. |
|
urbancowboy | '* Anonymous *' all these posts have me really wondering if it was a good investment at this time or not. read from another location one person veiwed the e610 and said it was better than the 60 xbr....wondering if i will have any finger nails left by delivery time. what size are the pixels that are burnt out ?? |
|
Anonymous | Urban Cowboy, Maybe a little bigger than the size of the head on a sewing pin or about the same size. Seriously I freaked when I saw the first one, I happen to be sitting right in front of the set and was changing from TV veiwing to a DVD and noticed this blue dot and then I looked and saw a green one and then a few more. I got pissed that I spent this much money on a TV, I thought 5 years from now would this TV have thousands of burnt out pixels. But I am not sure if they all will burn out or it will be just a few. Either way unless you watch TV two inches away from the screen you never notice them at all. When I am watch a DVD or just a TV show I never see them. I hear it might not even happen to some sets but that it is the nature of the beast. That's what happens to LCD TV's. |
|
urbancowboy | went to the local sony store and asked what was the diff. between the 50 xbr and 50e610 and the only difference they told me was the sound on the xbr was better as that was what the initials stood for and price of course. the internal componenets of the e610 were just as good and not inferior to the xbr. contacted sony directly also and asked them which they'd buy money being no object and they said the e610..hope this helps. asked about the dead pixels no one in town had any problems so maybe some luck has to be involved who knows |
|
Anonymous | Saw the new GW LCD today. It was placed right next to the current Model XBR LCD. It blew the XBR away! I'm not sure if the XBR needed to be calibrated/tweeked or what, but the new set was jaw dropping. It even looked good displaying a conventional signal (regular cable). The new GW is incredible. I plan to purchase the 60 inch with the next 2 - 4 weeks. |
|
urbancowboy | Anonymous .... one thing for thought.... was going to buy the 60 in and was talked out of it by the salesman saying the 50 in will blow the 60 in away in picture quality as you get bigger especilly in the 60 you start to loose picture quality in detail. cannot comment on this thats what i was told. opted for the 50. he would of made more commission on 60 so who knows for sure untill you put them side by side |
|
| Hi all, I'm a recent new owner to the 60" grand wega. I was going through set up last night and here are my questions: First, not too long ago (prior to the GWega), I purchased a $700 Yamaha receive with all the video inputs/sound inputs, etc. This was to be the backbone and hub of my media center. Now, with the Grand Wega, this thing has all the input for video and audio on it, too! I believe the best way to wire all this up is to pump everything directly into the TV first, then just have 1 audio out from the TV into my surround sound receiver (instead of routing everything through the receiver first). Does this make sense? Any thoughts? I've got your standard equipment - VCR, DVD, Digital Cable Box.... I presume for the DVD player I should also use the optical ouput for sound directly into receiver for better sound.... |
|
| PS - I should also note that I need to seriously upgrade my "complimentary" wires that came with the components. I suspect Monster cable is the way to go. Also - The component video is recommended, right? (over the S-Video, especially for DVD and digital cable box)... |
|
Simon Le Greedy | Hello Everyone, I've had my 50" XBR since January, and watch most of my regular cable channels on the "Normal" screen mode, unless the program is broadcast in widescreen. My question is, would watching most everything in "Normal Mode" with the black bars on the side possibly cause "burn in" down the road ? I've had no problems so far. Also, I've noticed when a program is broadcast in the widescreen format I tend to think it looks more realistic in the "Wide Zoom" screen mode. The other modes seem to stretch faces and torsos too much. What do you guys think ? Thanks in advance. |
|
pitrott | Simon Le, I used to watch all my Reg cable in normal mode. Then one day i noticed Bowing at the edges of the black stripe. So I went to wide screen for a few day's and the normal mode went back to normal. hence the lesson here don't keep it in normal mode for to long! Supprot our Troops Cheers Pit |
|
| With the Grand Wega, will pixels die (burn, get stuck) over time? Or do they come dead from factory only and will not develop over time? Thanks. |
|
| Hi All, Thanks to all for the great info. I too am very interested to hear if anyone has seen the KF-42WE610 or has seen a good, reliable review. Really interested to know if the Black Level has been furhter improved. Looking to buy in the next month - 42" is all I can reasonably get away with at our place. ` |
|
Anonymous | Flipphone, Pretty much everyone has said that the black levels are improved. There is a question of whether a filter can be put in to make them better. This was an option on the GWII. |
|
Anonymous | Urban Cowboy, you make an interesting point about the 50 inch vs. the 60 inch. Had the salesmen you spoke with had the opportunity to compare the two sets? I hope to get an opportunity to see both soon, hopefully side-by-side. I'm curious that the new XBR line has droped the 50, and will only be sold in a 60 & 70 inch version. Sony says we should see the new XBRs in early November. |
|
Anonymous | kuda, I've seen the KDF-70XBR950. The picture (HD) is amazing. Didn't get to fool around with it much. |
|
Anonymous | I compared the demension of 60we with 60xbr and there is no much difference. The 60we is a little bit narrower and shorter but its base is much biger than 60xbr. If every thing in 60we is the same, why a 60we weights only 100.lb but 60xbr weights 143.lb? No matter what vendor is saing, absolutely 60we is using less parts and airy materiel for cost reduction. Sometimes the performance change is not so obviously in normal condition. And, sometimes the performence may decline faster if there is a materiel issue. I'd rather a 60xbr950! |
|
| I got to see the KF-42WE610 on the 1st at the local Sony Store. They got it in about 1.5 weeks ago and said that they have had lots of interest. My inital impressions were very good. I like the overall look of the display and since I am somewhat limited in terms of size and design (I want a table top display) I think that this unit would fit the bill. They were showing the Star Trek Nemesis DVD using a Sony DVD player (sorry didn't look at the model). The DVD signal was 480P and that was what the display was showing (no up conversion). I must admit that I thought that the picture looked great. I watched for about 15 minutes and the colours were nice and bright and the picture seemed to be very detailed. The scene when the two starships collide was particularly interesting. As anyone who has seen this movie knows there is a lot of black in it and I thought that the black was quite black ... but maybe I am not too decerning a viewer. I spent a few minutes right up close and couldn't see any dead pixes from inches from the screen. Most of my veiwing was from about 6-8 feet away. As would be expected I had to be at the right vertical height or the image looked dim ... when at the right height looked great straight on with no real difference at about 20-30 degress to either side. I have been reading lots about the difference between DLP and LCD RP ... not really sure if there is much between them. But I will continue to read forums like this others for insights. I plan to buy within the next couple of months so any other comments about the Sony KF-42WE610 would be appreciated. |
|
Flipphone | OK ... I got carried away this weekend and was all set to purchase the KF-42WE610. Went to the store with my wife and she was sold ... they had the 42" on the floor and a 50" in stock. I asked them for a price on both and the sale guy went away to meet with the Sony Store manager ... While he was doing this I got up close (again) to the screen and Oh My God I saw a 'stuck green pixel' on the screen. It wasn't there last time, earlier this week, when I was up close and personal to it I am 99% sure. So I stepped back and the pixel went away when the scene was showing dark (blacks, reds, etc.) or blues but when there was a yellow / gold or off white image the green pixel showed up ... even standing back 10 feet. I think that if I didn't know it was there I wouldn't have seen it but I did and I kept looking for it and kept seeing it time and time again. So sales guy came back with a pretty good price but I couldn't bring myself to spend the $$$$ knowing that the pixel was there and it really made me doubt the reliability of this technology. I just don't think I will consider buying this TV again unless I hear that this issue of dead / stuck pixels is fixed. The Sony Sales Guy said that the one pixel would not be covered by the warranty and that Sony would only consider 15 clustered pixels enough for a warranty claim. Having said all this I am not certainly leaning to DLP technology OR standard CRT RP technology for the next 5+ years and then move on to the winner between LCD or DLP RP TVs ... about 1/2 the cost and I would expect the cost of the 'winner' to come down by 1/2 within the next 5 years. |
|
urbancowboy | flipphone....just bought the e610 50 in. it has 3 million plus pixels. if 1,2,3,4,5, pixels that are gone are you going to notice them unless you are 2 inches from the set.....understand its a great amount of money to spend don't get me wrong but it goes with the territory....how about all those lcd computer monitors out there. i have a 17 inch and wouldn't go back |
|
| I just purchased the KF-42WE610 from CC today....It is going to be delivered in the next hour...The set looked great in the store. It was right beside the Panny 50" and the samsung DLP , and I am not sure if its because of the Sony being a smaller size (42 vs 50) but the picture appeared more clear and sharp. I will be viewing the TV from 8-9 feet away so this size seemed more realistic then the 50".... I also opted for the 2 year service plan for $379 with the option to extend to 4 years for an aditional $220, I just couldnt justify spending an aditional $600 on the service plan upfront....I also purchased the Sony DVP-NS725P progressive scan DVD player and Monster 3 cables....Should look pretty cool....If anyone has any information or has a question you can e-mail me at nikea12@aol.com |
|
| KF-50WE610 vs. KF-50XBR800 Just saw the WE and XBR at Good Guys. Naturally they put them at opposite ends of the store (for ease of comparison. COMMENTS: The WE had SIGNIFICANT, noticeable and irritating SCREEN-DOORing. I asked whether this was due to a "sharp focus" feature that could be softened -- salesman didn't know. The XBR had no apparent screen-door effect. However, the WE was brighter and had better color saturation than the XBR (but who knows how they set-up the TVs at GGs,if-at-all). The WE's black-levels were significantly more washed out than those on a nearby CRT-rear-projection set; also it seemed that the screen on the WE was matte-finish (anti-glare?) rather than shiny/polished - which may have made the blacks look even more gray and washed out. I had been comparing the XBR to the Philips Cineos LCOS. The Philips is brighter and better saturated (even with the dreaded "purple color shift" -- may be this set wasn't totally horrible - the purple was more of a color-shift toward magenta tint). The Philips screen image looked softer-focus (a bit fuzzy/blurry like the optometrist's "Which is better, A or B?") than the SONY XBR and WE. The color-levels (brightness/saturation/contrast) and apparent sharpness/resolution of both the Philips and the Sony did not seem to approach that of HDTV plasmas (Sony, Panasonic, Mitsubishi) on display at GGs. THE QUESTIONS: 1) We're going to be watching a lot of non HDTV for a few more years, so the question is, how bad is standard TV on these sets (Good Guys conveniently don't have a cable feed to their HDTVs)? 2) For standard TV, is DLP, LCD, LCOS, or plasma better or no-difference? Do I need an external upconverter to improve matters? Will this give a visual quality equal to or better than I currently get on a plain old 36" CRT (not projection, the old fashioned kind)? 3) A RHETORICAL QUESTION: Why do manufacturers stick crappy quality speakers into hi-end HDTV monitors that 99% of buyers will use with external hi-end surround sound speakers? And, if they have to have speakers, why can't they stick them at the bottom center of the set, so at least you might use them as a center channel speaker, rather than [putting them uselessly] at the sides where they are directly adjacent to your L/R front speakers? |
|
Flipphone | Urbancowboy, I agree that with 3 million pixels I shouldn't notice one small or even 10 dead pixels but once I knew there was one (I am assuming it was only one lonely green pixel and not more than one in the same location) it was there I just couldn't help but keep looking to see if I could see it. And I could definitely see it when standing (crouched to the right viewing height) at a distance of about 8-10 feet. Maybe it is me but I think I would be checking the set 'constantly' to see if there were more stuck pixels and if there were it would just frustrate me because of the money I spent and it would take away from my viewing pleasure because I would keep looking to see if / when I could see the dead pixels. I agree that the LCD computer monitors are great for many reasons. But I am looking at my 15" LCD screen right now at 1024 x 768 ... but my screen size is only 15" diag ... so even if I did have a dead pixel on the screen it is so small I wouldn't likely notice ... plus my office paid for the screen. Finally, on the issue of 3 million pixels ... sure the 42WE610 has 3 million pixels but that is when you add them all together (3 x 1.05 million). The screen resolution is only 1366 x 768 for a 42" diag. screen. So the pixels on the screen are much larger than for my 15" monitor and if one of these is 'stuck' on then that pixel always shows the same colour and I think I am much more likely to notice it. One question ... I really don't know what the 'technological glitch' is that causes the dead pixel. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks. P.S. In my earlier post I meant to say "Having said all this I AM certainly leaning to DLP technology OR standard CRT RP technology for the next 5+ years and then move on to the winner between LCD or DLP RP TVs" ...as in, for now, staying away from LCD RP technology. |
|
| I have my KF-42WE610 now and for the most part very happy....I am currently using Analong cable(soon to upgrade to digital) and the picture is OK on most channels and grainy on others....DVDs look amazing! I guess the TV is fairly new but I was wondering if anyone has used another stand other then the SONY stand (SUGW2) that sony is charging over $500 for....I want it to look good and not ruin the look with a cheap stand. Also, Is there a break in period for these LCD's? Will the picture change after a certain number of viewing hours? Also, I was playing with the different ZOOM views and not sure which one is the best when viewing TV or DVDS ( FULL and WIDE ZOOM seem to be the best). Thanks |
|
urbancowboy | flipphone...already looking at my old tv for dead pixels and it doesn't even have any! read a post that explained how it works and the dead pixel issue see if i can find it for you.i am very paranoid about that issue and think sony should repair it even if it is only one dead pixel. will let you know when i get my set. the only other thing is find a store that you can return it in 30 days if you have trouble |
|
Flipphone | Urbancowboy ... Just found this link that you and others might be interested in: http://www.dpt-ltd.co.uk/services/DisplayTechnology.pdf From this I got: There are two phenomenon which define a defective LCD pixel: • A 'lit' pixel, which appears as one or several randomly-placed red, blue and/or green pixel elements on an all-black background • a 'missing' or 'dead' pixel, which appears as a black dot on all-white backgrounds The former is the more common and is the result of a transistor occasionally shorting on, resulting in a permanently 'turned-on' (red, green or blue) pixel. Unfortunately, fixing the transistor itself is not possible after assembly. It is possible to disable an offending transistor using a laser. However, this just creates black dots, which would appear on a white background. Permanently turned on pixels are a fairly common occurrence in LCD manufacturing and LCD manufacturers set limits - based on user feedback and manufacturing cost data - as to how many defective pixels are acceptable for a given LCD panel. The goal in setting these limits is to maintain reasonable product pricing while minimising the degree of user distraction from defective pixels. For example, a 1024x768 native resolution panel - containing a total of 2,359,296 (1024x768x3) pixels - which has 20 defective pixels, would have a pixel defect rate of (20/2,359,296)*100 = 0.0008%. |
|
frogdad | I am very close to buying a LCD TV. I just can't see paying alot for a CRT because I will be watching regular over the air programming in addition to DVDs and HDTV. Any last minute suggestions? Also, I was going to go with the Sony KF50WE610, but yestersay I saw a Hitachi HIT 50V500 which the salesman tells me is practically brand new. Anybody have any thoughts on this set? Thanks |
|
Anonymous | Saw the Hitachi as well. Had a beautiful picture. I have been looking at that TV along with the Sony 50WE610,the Samsung HLN507W and the Phillips LCoS 55PL9973. But after all the research I have done...I think DLP is the way to go for spending this kind of money. I don't feel like playing tennis with Sony or any other manufacturer over LCD problems. Especially for the cake were spending on these units! Granted MOST Can't be seen, But knowing my luck I will get the one dead center and bright green! There are NO perfect LCD displays. They ALL come with defects. Ask anyone in the manufacturing end of LCD's. They will tell you that they are not going to be perfect. EVER! All I know is seeing that DLP and LCD are both so new, I feel that DLP is a much more "serviceable" TV at this point. I am definitely leaning towards the Samsung DLP. I don't find nowhere near the problems/complaints with the Samsung units from what I am reading all over the net in comparison to LCoS ond LCD units. I like the other TV's all for different reasons, But what it really boils down to is what will last! I thought this post was interesting from another forum: I purchased the Phillips 55PL9773 2 weeks ago and just returned it for a HLN507W this past weekend. The Phillips unit looked awesome with the Pixel-Plus on some scenes and looked better with the Pixel-Plus turned off in other scenes. Also, the Pixel-Plus image was extremely dependent on the quality of the incomming broadcast signal. After a few days of adjustments and critical viewing, I noticed a low-level purple "glow" developing about 3/4 of the way across the screen (left-to-right) and the size of about 3-4 softballs. It was hard to notice this purple crap in scenes with strong saturated colors but in low-level scenes and especially black & white images the scene content had a puple hue to it in this area. After noticing this flaw, I couldn't get my eyes off of it and it really began to bother me. If that wasn't enough, I saw rainbow effects all the time. Don't get me wrong, for most people, the image quality of the LCOS was more than adequate. But for me, I've been a displays electrical engineer with JVC for 10 years working with thier version of LCOS (D-ILA) so I'm intimately familiar with some of the problems with the LCOS technology. A significant problem with the LCOS is adequate (uniform) cooling of the chip. This is in fact what I observed with the purple problem in the display. It would take about 30-45 minutes for the purple problem to manifest itself. When I went back to Fry's to see if the display model exhibited the same problem, I found it was in the display model too. Because of this, I returned the LCOS unit and picked up the Samsung DLP. The DLP unit on the floor at Fry's looked like crap because it was setup (adjusted) so poorly. Once I tuned it up a bit with the remote, it looked awesome. The DLP is the technology that electronic cinema has chosen for the cinema projector development. DLP looks awesome with none of the color non-uniformity that is inherent with the LCOS technology. Compare a black & white image on the LCOS to the same on a DLP. There's no comparison! The Phillips LCOS system also uses (3) rotating prisms as opposed to the DLP single color wheel. From a reliability standpoint, a (3) motor solution has a better chance for failure than a single motor version. Also Phillips claims their striped scanning technique is 30% more efficient than the color wheel approach and it is. However, what they don't tell you is that the light that actually makes it to the LCOS chip has to pass through a lossy beam-splitting polarizer. DLP does not require the polarizer element so for Phillips to claim any light output superiority is misleading. Another item with the Phillips unit that I found irritating was the gamma curve response. The whites were too bright and in order to get them within a reasonable range by reducing the contrast, the rest of the image would be too dim. The DLP image is crisp, uniform, and accurate and I am way-satisfied with the image. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the LCOS image, but, I also believe it's a viable technology that still needs some time to get all of the bugs worked out. If you really want the best overall image for the money, then DLP is the only way to go. As a side note, I have not observed any of the rainbow effects in the DLP unit that I observed regularly in the LCOS unit! |
|
Sorcerer | Suvi wrote on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 08:12 am
If you are a subscriber to Time Warner in New York City things are pretty good. For a one time $25 fee Time Warner will swap your standard DTV cable box for an HDTV cable box. The HDTV cable box has component out as well as s-video. Currently there are about 7 channels (HBO, Showtime, CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, PBS) that broadcast HD in addition to standard definition. I've seen some other broadcaster come and go like USA. The standard definition channels look good on my KF-50XBR800, but the high definition channels look stunning. Monday Night Football looks amazing as does CSI Miami. -S |
|
| I Purchased the Stand today (SUGW2)for my 42WE610, It was hella expensive but I guess sony doesnt give you much choice in the matter. I am pretty happy with the setup (stand/tv). The TV looks amazing when watching DVDs.....I am upgrading to digital cable from analog in a couple weeks. Has anyone heard about this calibration CD?? Does this really help? Nikea12@aol.com |
|
urbancowboy | just purchased the 50WE610, so far awesome tv..only have sat hooked but so far so good ..no dead pixels knock on wood not to say their will be any. blacks are black whites white unbelievable colours. haven't played around to much but would like to know about the calibration cd? which one is the best and where do you buy it from. read some threads on it but which one? my remote won't control my sat. though have everything programmed in right. the only thing i don't like are hockey games picture good but not that good. knew that from the start,assume when hi def signal is here that will take care of that problem..give 9 out of ten recommend buy and price compared to the xbr model you can save some substantial $$$$....only one major complaint price of the stand agree with you jstockton |
|
| Urbancowboy, how much did you end up getting the stand for? I think the stand I got for the 42WE610 was smaller....I ended up paying $500 at CC. Not sure if there is a price difference for the size. Also, How far back are you from the TV? I am using this TV for my living room and sitting about 8-9 feet back.....I think it looks great but wonder if I shouldnt have gone for the 50" for a few hundred bucks more....The guy at CC said the picture quality would be slightly sharper on the smaller size and it was cheaper......and since im upgrading from a standard 32" Tube I figured this would work out just fine.... Have you dont anything with calibrtation? or adjusted the settings a certain way? Thanks for the info |
|
Anonymous | 60XBR800 - can this set be calibrate? I had a Sony Tech here and he said that these sets can not be calibrated! I do not want to calibrate it on my own, I read this previous post about the calibaration and would rather have a proffesional do it. The black and contrast levels need to be corrected. But according to the Sony tech there is nothing to calibrate. True or Not? |
|
Anonymous | I've had my XBR800 60 inch for 4 months now. It is incredible. I paid 4650.00 at Meyer Emco. I put it with a Boston Acoustics / Marantz 7.2 Surround and the basement rocks now. HD is absolutely amazing with detail. I watched a Grand Canyon special it was awesum. I have only 4 dead pixels that I can see, they disappear after being 1 foot away. The TV is now discontinued but you can still find them. Make sure you get it from a reputable company cause if anything is wrong, you cant send it to Sony, I have a 5 year in house warranty from Meyer Emco, they've been around forever. |
|
Anonymous | I am about to buy the xf-50xbr800. 1. Is digital cable an improvement over analog cable into this set? 2. Would like to correspond with someone throught email who has this set . If you have one and care to talk about I would very much appreciate it. send email to: aldikszas@ameritech.net thanks Al |
|
| I am just currious, How many people have the 42" WE610 and how many people have the 50"?? I purchased the 42" about a week ago and am extremely happy with it so far....I am going to be viewing the TV from around 10 feet away and was thinking about returning it for the 50" (I thought the 42" was pleanty big until I saw the 50" in the store) What does everyone think?? How many feet back are all of you with the sets you have? I am not sure I can justify the extra $$ ($500 more for the TV and $100 more for the stand) |
|
Anonymous | I have the 60" and I am about 10 feet away and I love it. Not too close to it and yet not far away from it. |
|
BOB | Anyone have any opinions about the 42" vs 50"?? Also, what stand is everyone using? I have the SUG-W2 which is meant for the 42" but might use it for the 50" as well if I decide to upgrade..... |
|
Anonymous | I am shopping for a LCD rear projected TV. KDF60XBR950and KF60WE610 are my final choices. One is about $2000 more. Does anyone knows if there are a lot of picture quality different. Or just more features. The last number at the back of each models. Does it mean the lines? Also, do I have to purchase sony TV stand for those models. It cost $1800 for the stand or can I use the KF60XBR800 stand? Will it works, steady? |
|
dhotaling | what is the differance with the new model wegas and the kf-60xbr800. I have the kf-60xbr800 bought it back in April no bad pixels and the picture is great. little upset new model is so much cheaper |
|
Anonymous | "I am shopping for a LCD rear projected TV. KDF60XBR950and KF60WE610 are my final choices. One is about $2000 more. Does anyone knows if there are a lot of picture quality different. Or just more features." I second that...need some info quick...cmon all you experts...get cracking!! I believe the main differences between the sets are black levels (cinema black on xbr950), brightness (xbr950 uses more voltage therefore brighter), number of connections (more on xbr950 and also has the i.link connection), and the major difference is the look and construction materials on the outside (xbr950 looks like a piece of art...) |
|
Anonymous | Oh and by the way, yes that is my post just above this one, those of you that are saying the KF-60xbr800 is better than this years KF-60WE610 are on crack!!! This years is better in every single aspect...try to prove me wrong and I will surely argue against. =) Oh and one other thing, being here in CANADA, the KDF-60XBR950 has been in stores for at least a couple of weeks or so...and it is magnificient!! The PQ is stunning as is the look of the TV. Do those improvements justify the 3000$ CAN price difference? I would disagree. Get the KF-60WE610, you'll be plenty impressed by its PQ and you'll be laughing all the way to the bank. Then, if, just if, the set becomes obsolete or something goes wrong, or they improve considerably in the near future, you won't feel as raped in the money department...I am most likely going for the 50 inch model cause i am getting it for 4200$ CAN...sticker price at stores in Montreal. I still want to hear some other peoples (the experts) outputs on this dilemma that the majority of people are having. |
|
John | Was on business in Orlando last week (at Disney no less, HA!) and finally had a chance to see the KF-60WE610 in action. I've seen the 42 and 50 extensively in several stores on both HDTV and DirectTV. While the 60 only had HDTV piped into it, I was nonetheless thoroughly impressed. If I remember correctly, all three (42/50/60) have the same resolution screen. I was expecting more jagged images from the 60. As far as HDTV was concerned, I didn't see any. I also had the chance to compare a 42" 2004 model up to the 2003. The new models had a definite improvement. The most noticeable difference is the lack of ghosting. As for the 950, I believe one other thing hasn't been mentioned: an integrated HDTV receiver. While that's a definite plus, I don't think it's worth the 1,500 premium. Plan to get the KF-60WE610 and Dream System within 2 weeks--yea! |
|
Chuck | On the subject of stuck green pixel. Was at Sears asking salesman about this problem. Then on the KF-50WE610 a green pixel stuck on as we were talking. He said this was just dust and the bulb would burn it off. I thought what a bunch of bull. After ten minutes the "stuck" pixel did go away. Plan to buy this set as pixel issue may be a non issue. |
|
| I have had the 50WE610 for about 2 weeks now and absolutley love it....DVDs are amazing (progressive scan dvd and monster 3 component cables) even the analong cable isnt bad (going to switch to Digital in a couple weeks....PS2 looks good as well....I am using the SUG-W2 stand (which was meant for the 42") and it looks pretty good......still not sure if I will keep the stand or go with another.....anyone have any experience with these? E-mail me at nikea12@aol.com if you have any comments or questions. thanks |
|
Jay | I just bought the Sony KF-50WE610 on Saturday. I have Direct TV with the oval 3 lnb dish but only have a standard definition Hughes Dolby digital receiver with component outputs. I hooked up my Sony progressive scan DVD and the Hughes receiver with the Monster Standard THX component cables and the picture was very disappointing with Direct TV. I have since puchased and inline signal booster and exchanged the component cables for s-video and this did help the picture but I still have lines that go through the screen that are very noticible. I guess the component cables really made the signal issues noticible. Also football looks pretty bad. I guess I will have to get a HDTV Direct TV receiver with the DVI output. I am waiting on the HDTV/ TIVO boxes that I have heard are coming out in January 04. Does anyone have any info on this? DVD's after playing with the settings and setting everything to Standard look amazing with the component cables. I popped in SW Attack of the cloans and the light sabre's almost hurt your eyes they are soo bright. Lord of the Rings is better than the theatre!!! I unfortunately do have about 10-15 dead pixels that have come up in the last 5 days... Out of the box there were none and it is driving me crazy. I am constantly checking for new ones. I had Best Buy come out and the tech basically said it was up to me but they would replace it or I could just return it and pick something else out. The dead pixels can be seen only at about 2 ft or closer and I have mostly green ones but also have one red and one blue. I am going to exchange it for another one and if it still has this dead pixel issue I may go with the Samsung just based on the reliability, not the picture and my sanity. Also I purchased the Z-line designs silver stand from Circuit City for 129.99 plus tax and it is working fine even with the 50 inch TV. Email me with any questions or comments - jaygroves@earthlink.net. Thanks |
|
Anonymous | Jay, I do not think you should exchange your set for another GWIII. You need to accept that there are over 3 million pixels, and you are going to have some dead ones. Are you watching TV at 2 feet or closer? If you want to exchange for a DLP, that is fine. Realize it has dithering, clay faces, and the rainbow effect for some. Both technologies have problems. However, your only real problem sounds like the SD programing. Make sure you try different cables, try a different input, etc. Keep us informed on what you do. |
|
urbancowboy | having my Sony KF-50WE610 for about a month now have noticed about 6 dead pixels. not really impressed with that but with weighing the picture quality and the pixel issue the tv wins and will stay. like it was posted you cannot see them from anything but close up. was going to trade my in for a new one but how about if that one has more dead pixels then will be really ticked. saw a true lcd screen and it had a dead pixle that was a black dot on the screen and stuck out like a sore thumb , least these are white. anyways when i hooked the sony hd 100 dss and when on a hd channel was impressed to say the least. watched a show called insectia and was floored by the picture quality, it was like being right there live. the hockey game vancouver and pheonix was great last night !!! the detail on everything made the pixel issue non existant. it still plays on your mind though but when it comes down to it picture quality was a winner not doubt so put your mind to rest and buy it or keep it. |
|
urbancowboy | also should of posted spent some big bucks and got some decent monster cables and power bar. didn't want to spend that much but was convinced it added to the picture quality |
|
Anonymous | Took the jump on the Sony KF-60WE610 two weeks ago. Got if from the GoodBuy guys for around $3200 w/discounts and rebates. Awesome picture! The one unanswered question (versus DLP) was ongoing "bulb" costs. Sony parts said the replacement bulb XL-2100 has an estimated life of 2000 hours, a part number of A1606034A, a price of $256.17 plus tax/sh. Not a great answer (13 cents an hour for bulbs) but I am told this is normal/cheap for any projection technology and 1/3rd the cost of DLP. 60" screen at 10feet...blazing color....some hint of less than perfect blacks. But we're keeping it! :-) |
|
| Newest advertised Sony Model...anyone have any experience with this one yet? Sony KDF-70XBR950 70" XBR® Grand Wega Rear-Projection LCD TV with built-in HDTV tuner |
|
| I saw the 70XBR950 in a local store....Nice picture......I have the 50WE610 and the main differences I can see are the (obvious size difference, built in tunner, and style of the cabnet) the picture quality doesnt look much better, if any.......also, I think the XBR uses a glass screen and the WE610 uses a plastic screen..... |
|
| Hey Guys. Anyone who has a Sony LCD had any problems using DVI connection from DVD player to TV? I have a new Sony KF-50WE610, and I just purchased the new Samsung DVI player (model# DVD-HD931). It's supposed to be the only dvd player out there that actually comes close to showing HD quality DVD's. See link: http://www.samsung.com/Products/DVDPlayer/Hypervision/DVDPlayer_Hypervision_DVD_HD931.htm If the image is bright or if it's a scene in the movie that has alot of light, the image quality is highly detailed (almost HD). But when it has to render black levels it fails badly. Any shadows or dark scenes (night scenes), sometimes I can barely see the person in the picture. But when I switch over to the progressive mode and turn off the DVI mode, the picture looks great, even the black levels. Has anyone seen this problem? I'm about ready to send the player back. I spent $400 in hopes to utilize the DVI. Let me know. Thanks! |
|
| Where to buy a KF-60WE610 for only $3200? Please let me know. xchen88@aol.com Thx. |
|
Anonymous | I was able to view the 60xbr950 today at a local store. I wanted to measure how wide it was because I thinking that SONY made a mistake on there web site. Well I was correct it measured 63 inches not 67 as stated on the sony site. |
|
Looking | What did you think about the 60xbr950's display? I'm thinking of buying one, but there isn't any store around me to see it in action. |
|
Anonymous | They had a DVD playing on the 60 and I must say it looked great! The best I have seen from an LCD projection this size. I am just about ready to buy one, but I want to make sure it it will not be to big for the room I am putting it in. The room is 16X14 and it will be going in the corner. The store I go to is always trying to push me to buy a $750 power conditioner. I have a Monster HT850 that I was going to use. Does anyone have any comments on Power Conditioners. |
|
| Ok, apposed to the suggestions in this thread I have had my first Sony KF50WE610 exchanged two times now. So I am on my third TV. The first one had the best picture but up to about 25-30 dead pixels. The second one was damaged by the delivery people from Best Buy and they also damaged my S-Video cable. So now on the third tv I do not have that many dead pixels, probably about 5-10 total and no bright ones but the TV has a noticible vertical screen door effect that I did not notice on the first two. I have tried changing all the settings and different cables and different Power conditioners but I still have these very faint vertical lines even with DVD and they get worse with high movement. Has anyone else had this issue or have any suggestions on how to resolve it? Do you think it is just a problem with this specific tv or am I just going crazy? Thinking about getting the 34inch Tube from Sony or Phillips. I am not satisfied with any of these new technologies (LCD,DLP,Plasma) that I have seen, spending $3000.00 plus. Thank you |
|
Frank | Hi John. Two days ago, I received my Sony KF-60WE610 and the same Samsung DVI player (model# DVD-HD931) and I also have the SAME problem. When there is plenty of light in the scene the image is fantastic. The upconversion quality at 1080i is noticeable from 480P. As soon as it goes to a darker scene, it is really too dark with whatever settings I fiddle with so far. Very, very disappointing. I am thinking to return this DVD player and wait for some better DVI models. Here's a nice one I am hoping will not have the same problem: http://www.bigbangelectronics.com/product.asp?dept_id=1&pf_id=dvd975sa I am going to continue to play around a bit and see If I can improve things. If you find a fix let me know! I'll do the same for you here. |
|
Marty | I don't know if this question is High end enough for this board, but here goes. I'm looking to buy a 15" TV for DVD and TV viewing. It's for a small room, I watch about 1/2 tv (broadcast, no cable -- mostly sports and almost always recorded on DVD -- RCA DRC8000N DVD Recorder/progressive scan DVD Player ) and the other half I watch dvd movies. I don't care much about sound quality. I've narrowed down my choice to the Sony KLV-15SR1 , the Panasonic TC-15LT1, and (perhaps) the Sharp LC-15E1U. I'm leaning to the Sony which did well on a test done by the "lcdbuying guide" website, albeit these were larger screen models tested. The Sharp is a longshot as I don't believe it handles progressive scan dvd technology. Any thoughts, opinions, suggestions (and other possibilities to look at in the 15" category) would be much appreciated. Marty |
|
| Frank, I did take the Samsung DVD player back to Best Buy. I even had the guys there hook up the player to other TV's, such as the Samsung DLP and others. All gave the same dark images. However, I forgot that before, when I was trying to troubleshoot the problem, I called Samsung and one of the techs said he would burn me a CD with a fix to try and address some of the image problems. But I never recieved the CD. And when I called Samsung back, they said they didn't know of any fix. They couldn't get me in touch with the guy I spoke with either!!! Very frustrating. So finally I sent it back. Well, guess what arrived in my mailbox yesterday? Yep, the CD with the fix. Now I don't know if I should go through the trouble of buying the player and the expensive DVI cable, only to find out that it still doesn't work. Maybe I could send you the CD and you could tell me how it works? - John |
|
| John & Frank, I've experienced this myself, try hooking your dvd player up via the component inputs. |
|
Anonymous | Why would DVI give you a better picture when playing a DVD? Is there information on every DVD right now that cannot be output via component cables? Does DVI bypass some conversion process? If the DVD disc has only so much information to give, why would greater bandwidth help? |
|
| The Sony LCD's only have 1 DVI input. What do you do when you run out of DVI inputs? |
|
Anonymous | DVI give you better image because you are receiving the digital video directly from the video source such as a DVD player without having to first convert the digital source from digital to nanalog to send the signal through a s-video or component video cable and then from analog back to digital to display if on to your TV .. when you have to convert it back and fourth like that .. the original signal gets DEGRADED |
|
Anonymous | I live overseas and came across a 50"XBR that was returned because of a lit pixel. I noticed it immediately and pointed it out to the Sony rep who wasn't about to point it out. The previous owner obviously couldn't live with it. Now the store is stuck with the unit and the tv stand. The rep was willing to "let it go" for $3200. I talked him down to $2650. Now that I see the unit is discontinued, I believe I should negotiate harder. Should I offer less? kmial@email.com |
|
rob4455 | DVI is nothing more than a Hollywood ploy to curb piracy. it is a connection that enables one-way transmission of data and does not allow copying. there is no improvement in the quality of a DVD image through DVI compared to component cable. If hooked to HDTV, the DVI signal maybe better simply because the networks may have designed it that way, so people would only use the DVI port. Refer to "The Perfect Vision" or "Sound and Vision" magazine and their take on this issue. They report no improvement in DVD image quality when using DVI as opposed to component cable. |
|
Anonymous | I am considering a purchase but was wondering if ther is any follow up to pixel problem. Also, since 50% of viewing is digital cable, is this set a good choice? |
|
Anonymous | Rob, I assume you are talking about improvements with a 480p signal. I would bet they find a difference with 720p and 1080i signals. |
|
Ira Lewis | I am thinking about buying the KDF 70XBR950 but I wonder if anybody knows if Sony will release the 70WE950 version without the HDTV tuner as the did with the 60 inch model. The tuner is only applicable for over the air and the new direct TV boxes, which I would have to buy for satellite, can recieve over the air and satellite HDTV.. Anybody have any info? |
|
Ryan Stevens | FYI - about picture quality on the GWII vs the GWIII. As many of us know the GWII (XBR800 series) didn't look so great 'out of the box', or even in stores for that matter because stores usually never calibrate display models. I have the KF-60XBR800 in my living room. Also in my game room I just purchased the new KF-50WE610 which I love both. I had my KF-60XBR800 calibrated which of course is like getting a whole new set. The biggest difference that people are SEEING in the picture between this years GWIII is the fact that the new sets are somewhat pre-calibrated by Sony, showing a much better 'out of the box' picture. However you may want to check out some new threads involving 'the LCD expert' umr on avsforum.com. He calibrated the KF-60XBR800 and also the new KDF-60XBR950 and had some suprising finds. When both adjusted/calibrated, it seems that the previous model KF-60XBR800 had a superior picture in many aspects. The newer sets seemed a little brighter but that's about it - not as good as an overall picture. Besides NEVER go by the specs you read. Many people are saying the new sets are 'much' improved just because of the small resolution increase they tend to read about - as I mentioned after some pros found with calibration was false. Another great example - the Panny DLP sets have the lowest resolution/overall specs on paper compared to the Sony LCD GWII & GWIII - however as a lot of us know they have a superior picture in many ways in their own rights. Go by the eye with the sets tuned - happy hunting. Ryan |
|
EN | I keep comparing for a while Sony KF60(50)WE610 and Hitachi 60(50)V500. What I see most of the time is that Sony has a brighter image, and colors closer to reality (like check the color of people faces). Unfortunately it seems that for darker colors there is a stronger "boiling" of pixels than for Hitachi. Apparently Hitachi cannot get rid of a redish hue even if you take out some of the color. I like Hitachi a bit more as an external design with that customized stand. One of the worst things about these TV's is the quality of image from analog signals (inferior to regular TV's). I'm not sure if the digital signal shows better. Does anyone know? I'm asking because very few channels are high definition. |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | Hi Folks: Have had my KF60XBR800 since Aug 2003 and it seemed to work fine except for a snapping noise in the chassis. Sony Cust Serv told me that this was normal ;) and I went along with this until the the picture went south. Get great audio now but no picture. Now Sony is trying to find me a warranty repair guy who does not seem interested in doing the work because he said they do not pay enough...I dunno. I asked Cust Service to send me a replacement lamp and I would put it in myself but they will not do that. They insist that I must have their non cooperative service representative come out and look at it first. Looks like I am gonna have to call American Express and let them do a legal thing with Sony. I also bought a 48 month extended warranty but that wont help at this point. |
|
New member Username: SnakeyesPost Number: 2 Registered: 12-2003 | sorry this post is a bit long but this is a conversation i had with sony chat a while back i just thoght you guys might find it an interesting read. jake: hello steve jake: im trying to figure out the difference between two mdel and or two technologies jake: kf60xbr800 and kf60we610 Steve: Sure. jake: i know that one is xbr and one is not but im not sure what that means Steve: Please give me a moment to get this information for you. jake: you dont have to explain it to me just give me a link that i can read for myself jake: if you want thak you Steve: The XBR Grand WEGA Rear Projection TV KF-60XBR800 comes with great and the best technologies that it is packed with, like a superior Extended Bit Rate Picture technology for higher image quality and Uniform Brightness Screen technology, which provides a wider vertical viewing angle and consistent horizontal brightness from top to bottom, resulting in brilliant picture images that can be seen from any angle and many more. The advantage of the opting for the new KF-60WE610 television is that, in addition to most of the features of the KF-60XBR800 (though not all), it features Memory Stick media slots for not only displaying JPEG images, but also MPEG1 file playback and WXGA LCD Panels with 3.28 Million Dots of Resolution ( compared to the XGA LCD Panels with total picture resolution of 3.15 million in the KF-60XBR800). jake: so the 60we is newer than the 60xbr but the technology is better in the 60xbr? Steve: Yes thats correct. jake: so the price difference is mostly picture quality in general or the fact that the picture quality is great from any angle? Steve: I would say picture quality in general. jake: you may not be allowed to answer this but is the xbr worth the $1000 more or would you get the we? jake: is there a link that desribes the the different wega technologies in detail? Steve: let me see if we have a page which you can use. Steve: Yes you can go through this link. Steve: http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_BrowseC atalog-Start;sid=pvDG8lplkEjG9WX49dvM-RVoNLRKvgGA8-U=?CategoryName=pr_p_screen_size_tv jake: are you ignoring the which one would you buy question or can you just not answer it Steve: I would say that it is very subjective. The difference in the image quality depends on the viewer. If I were you, I would still go for the WE610. jake: thank you for your help steve Steve: Are you looking to place an online order? jake: not yet still in the research phase thanks |
|
New member Username: DanmillerPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | Hi, I have read on several forums about a buzzing issue or the lamp bulb not working after a couple of days. I read them at Agoraquest.com The exact forum thread is at Buzzing and Lamp issue for the 42we610 and 50we610 Let me know if you have similar problems. |
|
New member Username: LeloucoPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | The WE610 use a better lcd panel. The DVD player looks great, i built my HTPC to be my dvd player, so i can enjoy great quality. the DVI input looks way better than using the component video. So i can play dvd and all my pc games.. |
|
Unregistered guest | I have had the buzzing sound for several weeks now on my 3rd 50WE610. Today it went out completely and I have no picture and the red led lamp light continually flashes. So I guess whatever this buzzing sound is fried my Bulb. I am having a local Sony Authorized service person come by tomorrow and hopefully resolve the issue. I will let you what I find out. Thank you, Jay |
|
New member Username: IrvPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | Does anyone have any experience with the "Repair Master" extended warranty? It would appear that they consider projection lamps as consumables ie: a bulb and therefore are not covered under their warranty contract. Heck for that matter the entire TV is a consumable. Is this another 600 bucks down the drain? Any thoughts? |
|
umr Unregistered guest | UMR tweaks and observations for GWIII. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=331875 |
|
Mike from NJ Unregistered guest | I have several questions that I would be grateful if someone answered. First of all, I live in central Jersey, and I have no idea if I should get the "bunny ears" antena and a HDTV receiver. Shouldn't the cable company I have provide me with a cable box that allows me to pick up high definition signals? I just spent $4500 on my tv, and the picture is crap when I watch broadcasted television. Can someone tell me what do do? I dont feel like throwing money out the window if im only gonna get 3-4 channels on hdtv. |
|
Wade Lee Unregistered guest | Irv...I seem to have a similar problem with my set KF60XBR800. Everything is fine so far except for the infrequent snapping or pop sound. Happens maybe every hour or two. I haven't called anyone on it yet. How were you able to deduce that it was the bulb? Wade |
|
New member Username: IrvPost Number: 2 Registered: 12-2003 | Hey Wade: I got Sony Tech support and they said that this is normal for this product........so waddya going to do. I told em to pick it up because if it is normal it would appear to be a design flaw that I didn't expect to have when I purchased this product |
|
Wade Lee Unregistered guest | Irv...So the pop/snap sound is unrelated to you bulb going out? That's according to Sony Tech? Just want make sure I understand, because my picture has been fine. I've been hesitant to call service out on the tv because the sound is so infrequent that I'm sure the day the tech showed up the sound wouldn't happen. Mike in NJ: I have Time Warner cable in SoCal. They provide HD through their service. I get the main networks, HBO, Showtime, Discovery, PBS, plus special broadcasts like Laker games in HD. Its worth it to me, but I don't pay more for the service other than the normal cable. The HD box is the same price as a digital cable box rental. |
|
New member Username: IrvPost Number: 3 Registered: 12-2003 | That's it Wade ...I sure like the TV but have also found that if you call for warranty service and they can't see or hear the problem when they come "You Pay" for the service call. Best to either live with it or send it back. Not quite sure where I am on that yet. |
|
New member Username: OrionkhanPost Number: 1 Registered: 01-2004 | Irv...I bought my TV at the beginning of last September. I'm curious as to whether or not my bulb is going to go soon since I purchased not to long after you. I broke down and got an extended in home warranty contract. While I'm not happy about the possibility of the bulb crapping out early(I don't think its covered in mine either), that is a better scenario than other possibilities. |
|
New member Username: IrvPost Number: 4 Registered: 12-2003 | Hi Wade: We got our TV's around the same time...Sept also. The extended warranty I got was from Repair Master and I thought that getting it was a "No Brainer" even though it specifically spells out the projection lamp as a Non Covered consumable. All of the input that I have received on the lamps tend to indicate that they will give us apprx. 10,000 hours or two years with normal use and the replacement cost is somewhere in the $200 range. Keep in touch on this. |
|
New member Username: OrionkhanPost Number: 2 Registered: 01-2004 | Irv...I'll keep monitoring your situation. I'm curious to see if a new bulb solves the pop/snap sound. I nearly purchased my TV from a different retailer that had a warranty that covered the bulb replacement. However, the price was significantly higher for that warranty (3rd party). So I went with Good Guys. They matched price and the warranty was cheaper (but the bulb isn't covered). I figured that I might have to change the bulb once (maybe twice) over the five year period. And assuming that the prices of bulbs would gradually go down, I figured I would cover that expense if necessary. But, if its going to go out every year or so, I may have to consider some options like you... |
|
Unregistered guest | I have a Sony KF-50XBR800. Was working beautifully until last week. I now have a green ghost on the left side. Especially noticable on text and faces. The image correction does not eliminate the ghost. It does change the intensity, but at the lightest setting the ghost is still anoying. I have had the TV for 1 year and three weeks. I meant to purchase the extended warantee but with Christmas forgot. This is the second time I have had this problem. The first time the image revision was reset from "Auto" to "2" and solved the problem. I was told by the technition at that time that there is a timer making this change to compensate for normal wear on the components. Is there another more refined adjustment for this ghost? It seem like the green needs to be aligned. Thanks for any help. Superbowl party was supposed to be here and I know I can't get service by then. It took 2 1/2 weeks last time. |
|
mandi Unregistered guest | I posted a message about 6 months ago about a loud infrequent cracking sound that would happen within an hour or so on my 60XBR800. So far nothing else has gone wrong. The picture and sound are perfect. We had Sony service check out the tv twice and they can't find anything wrong. It was not the bulb. I think it is just a cracking of the plastic frame or something while the set is heating up and the plastic is expanding. I have also heard it happen when the set is turned off and it is cooling down. |
|
New member Username: OrionkhanPost Number: 3 Registered: 01-2004 | Mandi...Thanks for the info. I've been having the same noise (pop/cracking sound). I thought that it might be something as you described. The plastic expanding from from the heat. My set has been fine otherwise... |
|
MSA Unregistered guest | I am in the process of purchasing the KF-60WE 610 and need to find the dimensions of the back of this set. It is being built into a wall and the builder and I realize the depth is 21 1/4" at the deepest part. However we need to know the how it slopes on the sides. I have contacted Sony, and they have been of little help. |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 2 Registered: 12-2003 | Wade & Mandi: Since I am the oldest complaint of this problem on the forum I can also tell you that as the set ages it is doing the snapping & popping LESS frequently. Could be the plastic or metal have streched out and relaxed  MSA...Since I had a similar installation done I would suggest that you use the measurement at the rear closest to the main body as the opening for your cabinet. As I am sure you have noticed that the protrusion decreases in width as it extends to the 21 1/4" in rear. I had my cabinet built to recess into the wall BUT also set it on a shelf that is built like a drawer on wheels so that it can be extended out to get behind for the making & changing connections. I would be happy to send you photos of this. |
|
Unregistered guest | I have bought the sony XBR 60" and its an awesome tv. However, this week, i noticed a red blurr that apeared on the screen. It is ony about an inch wide and only noticable during a dark picture but i want to know if ii should be concerned. I have no idea what this is or if ittl go away. Can someone help me out here? Thanks |
|
New member Username: OrionkhanPost Number: 4 Registered: Jan-04 | Irv... Thanks for the info. I think that mine is "popping" less frequently as well. In fact, I tend to notice it more often after I turn the set off and its cooling down. You may be right about the plastic/metal expansion theory. |
|
trent Unregistered guest | Just thought I'd let you know that I am getting a ghost image that has been verified by the sony tech, He said he would have to get instructions from them. He called me yesterday and he indicated a new service bultien was comming out on the GWII He will be here Sunday to go through the service area and input new codes --Moe |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 3 Registered: Dec-03 | Moe: What is a GW11? |
|
Unregistered guest | I've had my KF-60XBR800 for just over a year and I'm getting red vertical lines running through the picture - similar to ghosting. They're offset a bit from vertical objects in the picture. I've read two other bulletins elsewhere regarding this - saying the repair estimate was $2000!! Anybody know anything on this one? |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 4 Registered: Dec-03 | Tudor: Can you please tell us where you read the bulletins? It would be helpful to those of us that might have a similar problem Thanks |
|
wayne Unregistered guest | Hi all, how easy is it to change the lamp on the 50"-60"? and do the TV's lcd have dust problems over time, and can it be cleaned? thanks wayne.... |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 5 Registered: Dec-03 | Wayne: It's a piece of cake.....The plastic panel on the right side pops right out and the lamp housing pulls out real easy. Cleaning is no problem as long as you don't touch the lens the compressed air dusters are handy for that. |
|
Unregistered guest | I have a Sony kexbr900. Only 1 1/2 wks old. Noticed some popping sounds (very subtle) coming from the screen after about 2 hours on. This happened twice. Is this normal and due to plasma technology? or is it a problem? |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 6 Registered: Dec-03 | Chris..This is a non problem The heat generated from the projection lamp causes the popping sound and it seems to go away after several months of use. The lamp is encased in a plastic & metal housing which would expand from the heat and the sound is coming from that. |
|
Unregistered guest | Hey everyone! I'm in the market for a Sony KDF-70XBR950 as a new toy but I really hate the stand it comes with. The stand looks 'great' with the TV but its entirely too short and lacks enough space to hold all my gadgets and gizmos. Anyway, I'm considering the Bush VS74377-03 (http://www.bush-furniture-online.com/bush_VS74377-03.html). It says the max load for the top shelf is 240 lbs. which leaves little head room for the 220 lbs. television. Anyone else got any other recommendations in regards to TV stands for this huge TV? I'm comfortable getting the Bush stand, but wanted to see what other options are out there. Thanks! |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 7 Registered: Dec-03 | Hey Code: I had a finish carpentar build me a base that slides into an entertainment unit. It's kind of like a shelf on wheels and makes it real handy for making all those MANY connections to the rear of the TV. Gets a little pricey but what the heck it's only money |
|
New member Username: Kid_redPost Number: 10 Registered: Apr-04 | code-keep in ind amps, DVD players, CD players all weigh. My Marantz receiver is like 60lbs. So total up all of your equipment when calculating the weight limits. |
|
Bronze Member Username: EmkmdPost Number: 55 Registered: Dec-03 | code, All of those stands are of poor quality with a high price. I am not sure about the bush stand, but they make a few. They make one that is a cherry wood color that I checked out for my DLP, but I think it was too low. Check out ethanallen.com, they have a bunch of new entertainment consoles/stands that look pretty nice. -E My Stuff. Yamaha V795a Sony NS700P Monster 3600 New PS2 Samsung 507W DLP Klipsch KSW12 subwoofer Klipsch RP3 Fronts with built in powered subwoofers Klipsh center and rears Monster Cables all around Comcast digital cable with HD box. |
|
Unregistered guest | what is best way to hook this 70xbr950 up using a dish pvr 921 dual tuner ota capable? dvi? component? what happens when i dont have a high def signal??should i hook up a s cable too? |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 8 Registered: Dec-03 | KF60XBR800 Has anyone found a REASONABLE price online for replacement lamps? |
|
Unregistered guest | I'm moving to a small apartment and was planning or using my KF-50WE610 as a part time computer monitor? Does anyone have any experience in this matter? If so, are there any problems/concerns I should be aware of? |
|
Unregistered guest | Last Nov I bought a KF42WE610 and a KF60WE610 and have had to have the lamps replaced on both. Although Sony covered it under the warranty, the auth service repairman told me there is an apparent design flaw because they are replacing alot of lamps. I contacted Sony about the problem and they said "there are absolutely no problems with any of our televisions or their parts." Is anyone else having problems with the lamps? The warranty on replacement lamps is only 90 days and at this rate, that is going to be expensive! |
|
New member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 10 Registered: Dec-03 | Stephanie: Did the repair guy indicate why he thought the lamps might be burning out ie: lack of proper ventilation or a fan problem. They do tend to get very hot and in most cases will produce a popping or cracking sound which is normal. Sony will tell you that the life span on their projection lamps are approx 2 years and the replacement cost is around $200 + tax & shipping. |
|
Unregistered guest | Irv, Seems you are the resident guru on the Sony Grand Wega. We are considering purchasing the 60" model. Is this the best TV out there right now to buy, or are there others we should be looking at. I have seen some negative things on some websites, and not a lot of people who have written a lot of positive comments. I would like your opinion |
|
Gary F Unregistered guest | I love the set - I have had the 60 inch since May 2003. It makes one or two loud cracks as it warms up the first 30 minutes, and then sometimes another after it is turned off as it cools off. Otherwise, I still love it. When I first posted this site last year, nobody seemed to know anything about the loud cracking or popping noise but it definitely is related to warming up and has no significance. |
|
Unregistered guest | I've had my 60XBR800 for a year and a half with no dead pixels, just one dark spot a couple inches in from the left that appears to be caused by a speck of dirt on the inside screen. During the last couple of months I've began to get Tudor's red vertical lines on cable, component, and video inputs. It's most noticeable on DTV and turns a spectacular picture into an otherwise barely watchable one. The flesh tones and lighter areas end up with this annoying red ghost that varies as the people move across the screen. Image revision used to work fine but now 0 and 1 are unwatchable, 2 and 3 almost clear the screen but leave the red vertical ghosts there. Is anyone else having or had this problem and what did you have to do to fix it? I paid 5G for the set and am going to be really pissed if Sony expects to get another 2G to fix it. |
|
Bronze Member Username: IrvspectPost Number: 11 Registered: Dec-03 | VLB: Do you think it's possible that the lamp might be going south. Year and a half might be an indicator that the "consumable" projection lamp might be "giving up the ghost" Sony is selling them for around $250 |
|
Glenn47 Unregistered guest | I have the 60XBR800 now for almost two years and have had problems with ghosts around images and a green vertical line sometimes in the same spot. The first time it was fixed by adjusting from auto to 2 or 3 that lasted about 6 months before the ghost re-appeared. Called Circuit City again (have extended warranty)guy came out and put a HD generator on one of the inputs and verified the problem. He went back to CC and called Sony to discuss and came back to the house 3 weeks later with a Service bulletin fix. Changed some parameters in the set-up screen and the problem was solved, that was 3 months ago picture is great. |
|
RobF Unregistered guest | I just bought a KDF-60XBR950. The built in pedistal seems to be retractable but I am not able slide it in. Does anyone know how to do this? |
|
New member Username: GeorgiagPost Number: 1 Registered: Aug-04 | I want to use my kf60we610 as a computer monitor too. Instructions say it is not intended for that. ????? Anyone have any information on this? |
|
Unregistered guest | Well, folks. I finally got tired of steaming and took matters into my own hands. This fix is not for the faint of heart. 1. On main menu set image revision to 1. 2. Go into service menu. 3. Find category D-GM TG. 4. Find variable 1 name POS CTL. 5. Possible values are 0 - 15. Choose the value that best fixes your ghost images. I changed mine from 1 to 4. 6. Save the new value. Please note: entering the service menu voids whatever warranty you may have remaining, and there are over a thousand control parameters in there. If you don't know what you're doing, pay a service tech to do it. You can really screw this TV up if you change the wrong values or do this at random. I am now watching a perfect picture with no red fringe ghosting whatsoever. |
|
Nish Unregistered guest | Hello techs I have a question Does anyone have information on the specification for the XL2100U UHP bulb ?? Informaion like: Startup voltage and current running voltage and current thanks in advance |
|
Dhotaling Unregistered guest | I have the ghosting image on my KF-60XBR800 set 15 month old how do I get to Service Menu to Adjust to 4 |
|
SLAYER Unregistered guest | JUST PURCHASED 60WE HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN I PLUG COAX INTO CABLR BOX THEN INTO VHF/UHF I GET AUDIO PROBLEMS SUCH AS INTERMITENT CRACKLING IN SOUND HAVE TRIED TO PLUG COAX INTO VHF/UHF THEN TV CONVERTER INTO CABLE BOX AND THEN BACK INTO AUX AND SOUND PROBLEM GONE BUT THEN CANT USE INFO ON CABLE REMOTE AND I LOSE MANY CABLE CHANNELS ANY CLUES OR SUGGESTIONS |
|
Unregistered guest | Ghosting image again on my KF-50XBR800! I had this problem one month after purchase back in January of 2003. Tech came out to fix it and got into some advanced settings menu but was unable to resolve it, so he said. Then they came and picked up my 3k investment and kept it for 6 weeks, but did bring it back fixed. However, I did notice at the time that it appeared they had simply modified the settings behind Image Revision 2 and 3 presets. Since now both 2 and 3 perform the same adjustment to the ghosted image. Anyway, the problem resurfaced about 4 months ago and I'm finally getting around to fixing myself this time. Does anyone know how to get into the Service Menu to make the adjustments for ghosting images? I'm not talking about the standard Setup menu. I mean the hardcore settings menu that voids the warranty on this thing. I think I'm ready to take matters into my own hands. |
|
Unregistered guest | I just went to best buy and purchased a kf42we610. Got a great deal but was wondering, does anyone know if it is an older model...last year's model is what I mean. I was looking at this board and see that these were purchased more than a year ago. Do you think I am wrong in buying one now. How does everyone like their 42 inch. I am in a smaller room adn feel this is the size I need. Hopefully, I am going to be happy about it. Waiting to hear from you. |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics