I Have a Question About ISF Calibration / Please Help , Thanks (1 Viewer)

[Gary SI]

Hi Guy`s,
I`m writing this post for help with a question about ISF calibration.
As many of you know already very few tube tv`s are perfect out of the box , and as such require a skilled “touch” to be perfect.
My question is , with so many tv`s on the market today , most have different user settings.
For example “Sony” has the program palette , which give us 4 variations of factory settings.
And many tv`s also have a setting which allows the user some control of picture tilt.
So with that said , how does ISF calibration happen , in a real world kind of way.
For example: I would think that the tv would be set on a neutral setting such as standard , and if a tv has a user tilt control that would also be set at the middle or neutral setting even if the picture is not straight.
After that has been done then the ISF tech , at least in my mind , should do his or her thing such as white balance , geometry ect.
I would not won`t to pay to have the picture tube straighten out just by using the user setting , I would rather prefer a yoke adjustment and while the back of the set is off do a thorough inspection of the set including proper placement of any magnets , a check of solder joints ( to make sure they are sound and no cold joints are evident ) and at the same time perform a manual focus and brightness adjustment ( if needed ).
Is what I have mentioned what takes place during an ISF calibration ?
Of course if the picture is straight with the factory setting at neutral then the focus and brightness could be check using an input generator and an optical comparator Any help with this would be appreciated , at some point I will either have my present set which is a Sony KV-32XBR200 or a new ( currently undecided brand and model) , calibrated and would like to know more about the whole process of ISF calibration.
I have checked ISF`s web site and it does state that on older models , such as my present set , a manual cutting of the wire or circuit must be don to disabled the VSM and that is fine.
Reason for calibration ? Too many channels with “jagged - edge” letters (even on the “movie” setting they are still evident) and general poor color due in large part to age.
What if I get a new set , you may ask , to make it the best it can be !!
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this rather long post , however all help would be grateful.
Happy Holidays to All !
Gary

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

It all depends on the TV and what the TV menu system both internally via the service menu and externally via the user menu permit.

The main goal when starting is to set everything to the detente position and to do as many of the adjustments in the service menu as possible so that it is easy for the user to get back to the optimal settings when it comes to things like contrast/brightness/color/tint ... user stuff.

Typically on the Sony ... some of the stuff can be done in the background, but things like the movie mode / pro mode ... et al can actually be reprogrammed to reflect the new optimal settings ... and a press of the reset button on the remote takes the user back to the best settings every time.

If you want yoke adjustments ... you are looking at repair techs ... and not ISF people. ISF people are not TV repairmen. (While a TV repairman can be an ISF if he wants to be)

Inspection of TV build is not an ISF's job. This is also TV repairman stuff and you will pay their rate accordingly.

ISF calibration for a tV like yours involves pretty much only grayscale calibration and maybe some image centering and overscan adjustments all via the service menu. That's it ... no more ... all this for $225 ...

YOu are pretty much paying to rent a guy and a piece of equipment and his knowledge on how to use it.

If you are interested in accurate imaging for your set, then ISF calibration should be considered ... conversely you can teach yourself how to do it and rent your own equipment and do it yourself ...

Regards

 

[Gary SI]

Hi Michael,
Thank you for your help
Where my present TV is an older Sony and the user (me) can`t disable the SVM , then that is something that would need to be done to my set.
From day one on any mode except "movie" I have had "jagged edge" lettering , even CC on dvd`s.
Now however I have jagged edges while in the movie mode and have the picture setting turned down so low that it is throwing off my white balance.
Is that something that a repair person should check out first ( before ISF calibration ) and do you think that a 6+ year old tv is worth ISF calibration ?
Or would it be better to invest in a new tv and have it ISF calibrated after about 6 months ( taking into account burn-in and usage ).
I have heard that older analog sets are sometimes better than the new ones ( HD ready tv`s ), is there any truth to that ?
Once again , I thank you for your time and your help
I would like to wish you and yours a Very Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year !!
Thanks,
Gary

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

In theory, Movie mode is supposed to disable SVM ... but you never know. HAve you ventured into the service menu yet to see if there is an SVM parameter in there to turn off?

Some ISF guys won't open the back of a TV ... or if they do, it costs extra. I know for myself, that I sometimes open up some sets if I am bold enough and I happen to know where the SVM wire is ...

SVM by design is not an accident ... artificial sharpening is precisely what it is supposed to be doing ... annoying to some ... positively necessary to others.

Whether you should spend the money to get an ISF done on your set is entirely up to you. Benefits vs. cost. The image would be improved regardless of it being older versus newer. An older set properly calibrated still looks better than an uncalibrated new set.

Also good to remember that the $225 is an SRP ... so there might be room for negotiation ...

Years ago prior to me doing professional calibrating ... I bargained with a local ISF guy to do my 1998 Toshiba 36" analog set for $175. No paperwork on that one ... but the image was sweet. IT was far better than my own feeble attempt to eyeball the grayscale ... (of course these days, I can eyeball it pretty good ... but only after years of practice.)

Older sets calibrate just as well as new sets ... but really old sets sometimes lacked comprehensive service modes so you could not do as much to them as you would like. The really older sets that had analog screws inside the set calibrated just fine ...

Regards

 

[Gary SI]

Hi Michael,
Yes I have tried "poking" around the service menu ( of course , not putting any changed setting to memory ) , and I do have the service manual for my set.
I always had it in the back of my mind to have it calibrated , but things have always seemed to get in the way.
I know that the movie setting is supposed to turn off the VSM , but for some reason , I`m still getting alot of jagged edges , even with dvd`s. For example straight lines like those you see at the beginning of a dvd that gives the movie rating , the vertical edges of that box are jagged, And if I were to use the "standard: setting it would look like a resistor symbol :frowning:.
Maybe I should have a repair tech ( if I`m going to keep the set ) check it out , could there some component that has gone bad or is failing ?
If that is the case then ISF calibration realy wouldn`t do much good.
I still have an extended warranty , so cost is not an issue , however I know Sony and most likely unless I get a realy good tech who knows Sony realy well , I fear that they will just say that it`s the cable or it`s just the way Sony`s are "after all it has a picture and there`s sound" .
Had one tech look at it a while back and his responce was "gee thats a big tv , I think the picture looks OK but the drive`s could be off a little" (never even adjusted them).
Needless to say nothing was ever done to the tv .
So it won`t hurt to try again , but given what happend before , I think the tube would have to pop before they would finaly say " gee I guess the picture is a little off " LOL !!
So , given that, 225.00 sounds like a fair price IF the tv is sound , I guess after the first of the year I`ll call Sony again , maybe they can send someone different.
Thanks again for all your help and time .
Gary

 

[Dave H]

Mike,

How are the newer Sony RPTV CRTs out of the box?

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

Sony CRT's ... mixed bag ... a toss up ... I'd give the ones I see a 65% OOTB factor. When properly set up ... it gets to 100%.

REgards

 

[Dave H]

Great. I'm getting my new Kp-57ws520 ISF'd in a few weeks after I get the 100 hours on it. Right now the picture looks great to me ---- except for the light ghosting which is normal on CRTs RPTVs I'm told.

This same guy ISF'd my older Sony 61" 4X3 set a few years ago and the results were significant.