Anybody have experience with the Kv50XBR800? (I think it starts with KV, anyway)

A client hemmed and hawed about what set to buy, wasted our time asking for advice, got a recommendation to buy another brand, then speared this whale on a closeout.

It looks okay on progressive scan.

On NTSC video, it looks like crap. Yes, on a stick. There are vertical artifacts that makes things look like they are framed in. It shows up in all WIDE modes including NORMAL, but normal looks the best.

Weirder still, when the camera pans, it looks as though the screen has a pattern on it, a pattern of short vertical and horizontal lines of not quite the same brightness as the rest of the screen. It is sort of like the problem I describe above, but it is as though it is permanent and non-moving on the screen.

The only godsend I have here is that we did not sell the TV, so we don't have to make it good, at least not any gooder than we can with an alignment disc, and a service company if that's what it comes to.

Anybody seen this?

This message was edited by Ernie Bornn-Gilman on 11/16/03 01:29.

Ernie:

Just to clarify, the set is LCD, NOT LCOS.

Hmm, I have the 60" and that doesn't sound familiar - in fact it seems to do the best job on crummy NTSC as any set I've seen (very good cable tuner too). I *have* noticed a couple odd thin horizontal bands near the center of the screen which appear slightly darker than the rest (and I do mean slightly)... most noticable on solid white. Still better for overall image "perfection" than my previous direct-view CRTs, though.

bringing this thread back to the top to relate to another thread about the sony xbr...

Well, the local Sony service guy came out yesterday. His is an alternate universe: he sees the problem and says "it's normal." Also some stuff about how since the set is made for HD, it should be expected not to perform well on 480i.

His test generator was able to give us a full screen gray (maybe 40% white) and the pattern was really visible.

Yup, it's a 480i problem. Then when I showed it to him on 480p, he was suddenly very quiet. Said he would be visiting other dealers. Would look for another set of the same model. Would check it out. Would get back to me. Had to be going now....


The image is also not level and is narrower at the top. He told me that he and other techs had asked Sony about this and it could not be adjusted. Does that sound like BS, or what?

Yup, he speared last years whale, but it should look better than that. He might want to consider the new model for other factors (improved black levels, etc.)
The KF(42-50-60 you choose)WE610's should be similar in price, the KF(XX)XBR950's are more the expensive high end w/ integrated OTA tuner and other extras.

The levelness could be a big problem, the LCD screens are not adjustable, although I've heard of one being "shimmed"

Try over at www.avsforum.com and also search GWIII (grand wega 3) Lots of problems & solutions & helpfull AV Pro's