Has Sony fixed the problems on the Flatscreen TVs? (1 Viewer)

[perrin]

I just purchased the Sony KV27-100 TV, and it looks like it was made around March 2003. Has Sony fixed these problems that have plagued the other flat screens in the past? My tv has great picture and color, and I have not noticed any geometry issues or color halos when I am watching cable or dvds. Perhaps complaints from previous owners have made Sony to address these issues in order to have a descent television.

perrin

 

[John-Miles]

Geometry problems are still there on all makes and models really, and its not really a big issue on any of them, it all depends on how much any particular person notices these things, people at this forum notice them more than others and complain about it thats why it seems like there are more problems

 

[SeanA]

The only thing I have ever noticed with my Sony 34" XBR is that vertical lines (such as doorway frames) out towards the far edges of the screen some times look slightly bowed. And I think this is only really noticeable when the vertical line fills most of the height of the screen.

 

[Mika-H]

What about the uneven black level? Showing a black screen in a dark room, you could see the left side of the screen was much lighter than the left. Still like that?

 

[perrin]

I have not noticed that the left side is lighter than the right, but I have noticed that the bottom of the screen is bowed. I am guessing that comes from the television station since the older sets have oval screens and not flat screens that are more prevalent today. It is not very noticeable unless you keep staring at it.

 

[SeanA]

I have not noticed an uneven black level nor bowing at the bottom of the screen. I did the AVIA calibration just a month or so ago, and the amount of tweaking I needed to do was minimal. If the black level was uneven left to right, I think I would have noticed this during the calibration. Maybe these particular sets are defective ? Is it possible to fix an uneven black level with a professional calibration ?

 

[Jack Briggs]

The uneven brightness situation with certain Sony WEGAs has never really been acknowledged by the company. As a result, the whole (unacknowledged) issue falls under the umbrella of "manufacturing tolerances." Some of us are more annoyed by this easily observed phenomenon than others. Sony compensates with otherwise dazzling performance in other PQ aspects (once the grayscale is tamed, that is).

 

[Steve_Tk]

On my 40XBR I do not have uneven black levels. But it's heavy.

 

[Mika-H]

On my 40XBR I do not have uneven black levels.

Really?! Could you look at it one more time in a completely dark room? Just switch to an input that isn't being used. You should have a completely black screen then.

 

[SeanA]

Just switch to an input that isn't being used. You should have a completely black screen then.

I just tried this on my 34" XBR800, and I truly can't tell if there is any uneven black level left to right. One problem with this test is that there remains a large green "video #" label in the upper left corner that makes the left side appear a little brighter than the right. Is there any way that you know of to turn off this video # label ? If so, I could probably make a proper judgment on the black level.

 

[Mika-H]

I don't think you can remove that on-screen message. Maybe you can find a black scene on a DVD? Either between opening titles or during the end credits?

 

[SeanA]

Mika,

Sorry...

I am a little late on a reply, but I found a completely black scene right at the beginning of Nicholas Nickleby. I put the DVD player in pause and turned off all lighting. I can now say for 100% certainty that my XBR has no hint of an uneven black level. I truly tried to see it, but could not see any difference in black level from left to right or top to bottom for that matter. Makes me wonder if indeed some sets are defective or I just got lucky with mine. My XBR is fairly new at about 6 months, so maybe it is even possible that Sony made a fix recently.