Sony's KDS-50A2020 SXRD...

Is Sony's KDS-50A2020 SXRD rear projection set capable of displaying 1080p video from its HDMI inputs? The screen claims I am receiving 1080p from my Blu ray player (running through my receiver) when I press the TV's DISPLAY button, but does that mean the screen is actually displaying the 1080p?

Re: Sony's KDS-50A2020 SXRD...

Yes.............
Why don't you believe it? Is it not an awesome picture?

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Thank You, Ed!

I am uncertain if the set was 1080p capable of display -- I was certain it accepted 1080p in its HDMI ports, but 1080p output I wasn't sure of...the picture looks okay, but even with Blu rays, it doesn't look "awesome" and that's even calibrated in "Standard" picture mode...the Blu ray discs just don't have that "three dimensional pop" that some of Sony's LCDs do...

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A setting may be off somewhere, unless something is wrong. The SXRD was one of the first ones to display at 1080p (I think). The ones I've seen, looked better to me, than any LCD. That's why I was so surprised when Sony quit making them. Such great pictures, on bigger screens, and for less money, than LCDs and plasmas. I never was able to get one before they quit making them, but did see that a Best Buy still had one, in a town about 50 miles away.

What did you use to calibrate it? Maybe someone here that has one, that looks great, will chime in, and y'all can compare settings. Since I don't have one yet, there's not much more I can suggest.
Good luck!

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Thanks again, Ed, for your ongoing assistance...

I used a "DiscWasher" brand DVD calibration disc, which walked me through the setup for Contrast, Sharpness, Brightness, Color, etc...everything seems right there. I'm just wondering if I AM getting 1080p -- full 1080p -- on this set...

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You're getting 1080p, that's the native resolution of the set. Even if you had the first generation of the Sony LCoS, they would input 1080i and upconvert it to 1080p and was virtually indistinguishable. Search for your model and "settings" or "calibration" on google and compare what others have used. If you are using overall brightness as a comparison keep in mind that in a low-light room (like you're supposed to be watching a movie) most lcd's are too bright and hurt your eyes after a while. Perhaps you are also comparing the XBR series of LCD's to your KDL series LCoS, a better comparison would be the XBR LCD vs a XBR LCoS, or KDL LCD vs KDL LCoS.

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" Search for your model and "settings" or "calibration" on google and compare what others have used. "
A good start would the web site of ultimate av who have detailed reviews of the Sony SXRD's.I just rejected the latest Bravia LCD mainly due to its PQ not being as good as the 60 ' SXRD it was meant to replace. Found a good preloved 70" SXRD. If set up correctly you should get a 3D snap with the best HDM.
Good luck.

Re: Sony's KDS-50A2020 SXRD...

Thanks so much for your replies, guys; very much appreciated...

You know, it's funny...I just don't know where my picture problems are coming from, my Panasonic 'BD10A Blu ray player or the Sony KDS-50A2020; just last night, we rented "No Country For Old Men" on Blu ray, and even at 1080p out of my player, the image wasn't all that "orgasmic" as Blu ray's marketing materials would lead you to believe -- now this could be for countless reasons, one of which being the film just wasn't MEANT to look like that -- but I remember seeing demo clips in stores such as Sears and Blockbuster, and the images (on Sony Bravia LCDs) were so breathtaking and clear it was almost as if the characters and images were floating off the screen -- I'm not getting this on my 50" rear projection SXRD...

Perhaps I should explain further or begin a new thread on this in the high definition hardware forum...my display is being fed an HDMI signal that is looped through my Onkyo A/V receiver -- specifically, this is how it's running:

HDMI OUT from Panasonic 'BD10A Blu ray player to HDMI IN of Onkyo TX-SR605 receiver...then, a second HDMI cable is going HDMI OUT from the receiver to the Sony SXRD set's HDMI IN...

That's it...no other connections: it's HDMI out for audio and video from the player to HDMI in of the receiver and then HDMI out of the receiver to HDMI in of the TV for video transfer. Could the 1080p signal from the Blu rays somehow be getting "degraded" by passing the video through the receiver? This model Onkyo SHOULD pass 1080p (or whatever) straight over HDMI with no conversions if it's HDMI IN, HDMI OUT, but you never know...

Now, the other issue could be my TV's picture mode and calibration levels...I have the set in Sony's STANDARD mode and calibrated with a disc from there -- I know most every videophile uses the "CUSTOM" mode and tweaks like a thousand different things in there, but I think I liked the "vividness" of Standard better...could the issue be my settings in Standard, and if so, should I recalibrate in Custom mode and adjust for things like Live Color, Detail Enhancer, etc. in the Advanced Menu? Should these be the things that would give me 3-D "pop" and dimensionality from my Blu rays?

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Bobby, why stick with standard mode when you are unhapy with it?If you check the site I mentioned there is a long discussion setting up both the 60 and 70" models which explains why they made the decisions that they did. You will find it very informative. My settings on my 70 are only slightly different from my old 60 but you must experiment to see what is best for you.These are for a darkened room:Auto iris2, Pict 82,Bright 54,temp warm 2,sharp20.gamma low,drc mode 1,everything else off save detail enhancer max,(edge enhancer,off).
Gamma is where I found a difference between the 60 and 70. Did not work with 60 at all.If it doesn't for you,you will need to increase brightness by 1 or 2 stops.

I don't know your Onkyo model but it should not be causing any quality loss.
I don't know your player but check it is on 1080p.

I use chap 21 of Ratatouille as a reference. The usual comments are"it's like looking thru a window it's so clear"

Good luck and let us know how you go.

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Bobby, why stick with standard mode when you are unhapy with it?If you check the site I mentioned there is a long discussion setting up both the 60 and 70" models which explains why they made the decisions that they did. You will find it very informative.

Thank You Very Much, John...

I will go back and look at the site you mentioned but I think I may already have seen all the sites discussing the SXRDs and their setups -- but do you know offhand if they were testing under the Custom mode? To answer your question of why would I use Standard if I'm unhappy with it, well I toggled between Vivid, Custom and Standard on a calibration disc menu which featured a beach scene with a palm tree to test color vividness...when I toggled between the three modes, it was clear that Standard was the brightest, punchiest mode next to Vivid, and Custom seemed to "dim" the image somewhat significantly -- and that was with Custom's settings all at default!

My settings on my 70 are only slightly different from my old 60 but you must experiment to see what is best for you.These are for a darkened room:Auto iris2, Pict 82,Bright 54,temp warm 2,sharp20.gamma low,drc mode 1,everything else off save detail enhancer max,(edge enhancer,off).
Gamma is where I found a difference between the 60 and 70. Did not work with 60 at all.If it doesn't for you,you will need to increase brightness by 1 or 2 stops.

Okay, so judging from your settings shared here, you are using Sony's Custom picture mode, yes? I have tried many of these settings in all modes, and Iris 2 is too dim (I prefer the brightness of Auto 1)...all the other settings I just can't seem to get right -- I have left all those "Advanced" settings in Custom all OFF, like you suggest, except for Detail Enhancer, and perhaps THAT'S where I may be losing that "looking through a window" dimensionality on Blu rays...could this be? Would you really suggest keeping Detail Enhancer on Max? I heard this DOES NOT affect DVDs, ONLY Blu rays or high definition sources...is this so?

I don't know your Onkyo model but it should not be causing any quality loss.
I don't know your player but check it is on 1080p.

The Onkyo is SUPPOSED to feed HDMI IN, HDMI OUT through its interface; my player I keep on AUTO HDMI resolution and that picks "1080p" for my SXRD set...

I use chap 21 of Ratatouille as a reference. The usual comments are"it's like looking thru a window it's so clear"

I have heard glowing things about Ratatoille...I will have to rent the Blu ray...

Good luck and let us know how you go.

Thanks so much for all your guidance -- I will keep you informed!

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If you read the info I have directed you to you will understand what you are doing when you do not have the Sony set up correctly and why you are not getting the picture you want.1080/ 24 won't help either. Turn off all digital processing (although to my surprise I found Detail Enhancer worked on max) and use the custom settings dicussed and you will get the PQ you want and ,yes,I am sure National Treasure will look great.

Re: Sony's KDS-50A2020 SXRD...

John,

Do you think that just by switching from Standard to Custom, the picture quality will jump that dramatically? And if I do that, are you suggesting this:

-Calibration of contrast, color, sharpness, etc. with a disc, and then...

-Under ADVANCED SETTINGS, turn EVERYTHING OFF except for Detail Enhancer perhaps...is THAT what you meant by "turn off all digital processing"? What about the WHITE BALANCE settings...what should those be on, or should I leave them on factory default of ZERO? What about NOISE REDUCTION...off or low or medium or high?

And finally, should WARM 2 be used as a color temperature?

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Sorry for the delay in getting back specifically to you, Aaron...

Thank you very much for your input; so, I can rest assured knowing the "KDS-50A2020" SXRD is a 1080p set ACTUALLY OUTPUTTING 1080p from sources set to do so that it's connected to?

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It's in the eye of the beholder as to whether the change from standard to custom with the settings adjusted with a good set up disc would be "dramatic". To me they were, as I appeciated the "extra" it added to the PQ.Just try my suggestions as a starter. You can always go back. And yes by 'digital processing",I meant all the stuff under the advanced settings. All off but try the Detail Enhancer at various settins to add that snap to the picture.Leave white balance alone for the moment . Warm 2 is the nearest to D65 colour temperture which is what you should be aiming for. Give it a go!!!

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John,

I'll give it a go when I can; thanks a bunch...

I read on another site that these SXRD sets are just fine running at 100 percent maximum on the PICTURE/CONTRAST control and that my setting of "80" is most likely way too low for the "punch" I'm looking for -- is it true that these contrast controls for the SXRD rear projections should be run at max? My calibration disc I used said to stop at 80 percent of maximum -- but this other site claimed that these calibration discs are not "meant" for designs like the SXRD sets, and the contrasts are way too low if you pay attention to them...do you think this is so?

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Around 80 on the contrast is fine.The site I directed you to will explain why and the disadvantage of having it higher.

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Thank you.

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SXRDs are native 1080p displays, and therefore only display a 1080p image.