HELP! New Sony Wega calibration issue!! (1 Viewer)

[Adam Nixon]

Picked up a new Sony Wega 32HS500 last week, everthing looks fine EXCEPT for when I attempt to attach a PS2 or Gamecube to it. When using either composite or S-video connections, the picture seems to lean slightly to the right, and there is an ultra slim black line on the entire left side of the TV -- it's like the picture just needs to be pushed over to the left less than 1/8th of an inch. It's barely noticable, but it's enough to tick me off. There is NO problem at all when watching DVDs or television. Is there a way to enter the service menu and "shift" the image to the left? Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[shane_watson]

im not sure if your model has a tilt adjustment the xbrs do....you might want to check that out.

 

[Brian S]

Adam,

If you're talking about horizontal adjustment only, then HPOS is the service parameter for that. However, I would recommend using something like Avia to determine exactly what your problem is. It could also be a left blanking issue. Try Avia's overscan pattern and using different TV inputs for the DVD player to see what happens to the image.

 

[Adam Nixon]

It does have the tilt, but that doesn't fix the problem. I've posted this in the video game hardware section and a few people believe it's not the TV's fault but a fault of the wiring on the game machines since everything else looks terrific. Unfortunately, there isn't an ISF tech for 100's of miles around, so I was hoping to find a quick fix -- calibration is probably my only recourse.

I'll check other inputs tonight, but so far it's only the game consoles that cause trouble. I'm trying to find a copy of AVIA locally, but have had ZERO luck so far.

It's a miniscule problem, and the line is so thin it has to be pointed out to people who wouldn't look for it. I had the same problem on my older TV, so I'm beginning to wonder if it is the gaming hardware.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Adam,
I've experienced the same problem with several different game consoles over the years on a variety of different sets.

Some games have an option in thier setup menus for screen positionning (I think many of the PS-1 games had this).

This is definitely a game hardware or even software issue, not a problem with the tv.

 

[John-Miles]

Adam I have the exact same problem with my Toshiba 36HFX71, and I believe i can shed some light here.

I do not believe the problem is with the video game hardware or software. What I have been able to surmise is that most DVD's and cable programs and such send a signal to your tv that is really a bit wider than the actual screen, and because of the overscan and such everything looks fine. However video games tend to send just enough signal to your tv to fill up the screen, with very little extra. Now when your tv shows this signal it should look fine, BUT if your TV picture is slightly off center you will end up with this black bar on one side.

At first I had though my problem was just an effect of the PS2, but I tried hooking up a stand alone DVD player and checking with the avia disc, as well as Bladerunner (Bladerunner was the only material where this bar was visible aside from video games) and sure enough the bar was still present on the standalone player as well as my PS2.

your gaming systems are just showing you the poor calibration on your tv. You should be able to get a service call from your dealer and have them adjust the horizontal position on your set. Since your TV is new thats probably a better Idea than doing it yourself, but either way it shouldn't be too difficult to do.

 

[Adam Nixon]

UPDATE: The set needs a calibration. I've been searching every dvd retailer in the area for a copy of Avia (will probably have to order it), but I tried some settings with THX optimode as a temporary measure last night. On the screen with the two rectangles with a circle, the outer rectangle is almost completely obscured on the right side by nearly a quarter of an inch. The question is, how to procede? Anyone know of any good ISF techs in either the OKC or DFW areas? Can I make the single horizontal adjustment myself in the service menu as a temporary fix?

 

[Brian S]

Adam,

While almost any set can benefit from ISF calibration, the problem you describe sounds pretty straightforward. You should be able to (depending on your own confidence level!) go into the service menu and correct the horizontal positioning of the raster. As I previously mentioned, this is the HPOS parameter which is in the 2170D_2 service category. Once again though, this task will be much easier and more accurately achieved with the aid of Avia (I admittedly have never tried to use the THX Optimode screens). The overscan pattern and various geometry grids provided in Avia will also help identify linearity problems (which my 32HV600 also had).

 

[Jorge M]

Brian,

You mention "linearity problems" with your 32HV600 -- do you mean geometric distortions such as the so-called funhouse effect? If so what, if anything, did you do to solve the problem? My 32FV300 has some of these issues, and I'd like to know if there's a solution.

 

[Adam Nixon]

My confidence level is rising, as I'm tired of looking at it while playing FFX. If I don't find a copy of Avia tommorrow, I WILL order one by the end of the day. As for procedure, what do I need to do to enter the service mode? I'm not going to attempt this until I get Avia, but I'm not looking to do much other than recenter the picture. Is there a website or information resource on this? Should I order the service manual first?

 

[John-Miles]

Id really consider calling your dealer see if they can send a tech out to do it for you, worst case scenario they do nothing and you have to do it yourself after, but at least if they fix it you havent voided your warranty

 

[Adam Nixon]

Unfortunately, I bought it from a Best Buy. I had a 10% coupon and got a good price on it. I'm not sure I trust those guys with a "repair" such as this, and I don't believe the set is defective -- it just needs a proper calibration. I'm debating whether I should return it or not, but my guess is that an off-the-shelf Sony is still going to have an error. It's only noticable if I play games or put in a calibration disc.

 

[John-Miles]

Ah yes best buy... there are none near where i live, but i wouldn't trust those guys either. just make sure you find out all you can before you go in there to the service menu

and good luck

 

[Brian S]

Jorge,

I'm not familiar with what the "funhouse effect" is supposed to look like, but if you mean compression and/or expansion of straight lines along the perpendicular axis, then that would probably be it.

In my case, the overscan rectangle was perfectly centered around the edges of the screen, but the center point was actually offcenter to the right by about an inch. Thus vertical line spacing was expanded left of center, and compressed right of center. I think I corrected it mostly with HCNT - I don't remember at the moment if I changed anything else specifically for this problem.

 

[Adam Nixon]

Question, Brian -- I've found the service mode on the set, where do I find the HPOS parameter? I don't want to start jacking around with anything else, but this seems to be a pretty simple fix. I also tracked down a copy of Video Essentials, which will at least give me some decent test patterns.

 

[Brian S]

Adam,

Use the "2" and "5" buttons of your remote to scroll through the main service categories. One of them will be 2170D_2 (horizontal deflection), and the 1st paramter shown is HCNT. Use the "1" and "4" buttons to scroll through the individual parameters within the service category (or from one category to the next/previous). HPOS should be the next paramter after HCNT. Use the "3" and "6" buttons to edit the actual parameter. Press "Muting" and then "Enter" to save the changes you have made to the TV's memory. You will see "WRITE" appear in red in the upper right corner of the set. Once this has been replaced by the green "SERVICE" the save has been completed and it is safe to turn off the set with your new settings intact. If you think you screwed something up (sometimes I would accidentally press the wrong navigation/edit keys myself and hadn't noted the parameters correct value), just turn off the set without doing a save routine.

 

[Adam Nixon]

Thanks, Brian -- I navigated the menu with ease and made the adjustment. However, I don't know if it's just my set or typical out-of-the-box issue but there are a LOAD of geometry problems when run on some of the Video Essentials test patterns. Specifically, thanks to your help, I've been able to nearly eliminate the black bar on the left side BUT the upper left-hand side seems to pull inward -- it's not a reasonably straight black bar like the right side. I'm trying to determine if this is a problem that cannot be fixed by calibration. Perhaps I should take the set back while I still can and take my chances with another.