Sony Bravia S questions

[geno46]

My wife and I recently bought a Sony KDL-46S2010. We're both longtime Sony owners, so we're familiar with Sony PQ- the PQ and size of this newer LCD is what stood out to us and closed the deal.

After getting the TV home and setting it up, we both noticed the the poorer PQ (no doubt due to the SD signal). I ordered the HD upgrade package and equipment from our satellite provider in the meantime. I noticed some improvement while playing DVD's, but nowhere near what we saw in the showroom. Digital labels appear pixelized and blurry, as well as the overall PQ.

Will the HD receiver, programming, anf HDMI cable improve this condition? I know this LCD is only 720p, but the difference between it and the 1080p din't seem that noticeable in the showroom. The difference in price between the S series and V series is about $1000 (definitely a factor)- is it really worth it to go with the higher resolution LCD?

Geno

 

[corysmith01]

Hey Geno-

I had a similar experience recently. Hopefully my story will put you at ease a little. I too bought a Sony Bravia, though much smaller...I got a KDL-26S2000. They had them on sale as the S2010 had just been released. Anyway, same sitution; got it home and was totally bummed. The "label" at the bottom from the cable box that says your channel/time/info was really pixelated. Looked bad. Also, the picture quality was, understandably, not good at all.

So, I turned in my cable box and picked up their HD version for free. Wow. What a difference. I hooked it up via component (you can also use HDMI) as I learned that these 2 ways are the only way to get the digital signal. May not be news to others, but it was to me. I was so used to just plugging that traditional black cable (with the screw-on end) into my tv. When I booted it up and watched it for the first time I felt much, much better. It was receiving a 1080i signal, and even on SD stuff, the pic was markedly improved. The info box at the bottom is like looking at a computer now. And the HD channels?

Hope that helps. I guess that's a long way of saying that my switch to the HD box made a huge improvement, and hopefully you'll see the same. Good luck.

 

[jcPanny]

HD Video

Geno,
Make sure your HD caple box is hooked up correctly with a component video or HDMI connection to the TV. I have read a few posts about incompetent cable guys who hook up the boxes with composite video.

Also, hook up a pair of rabit ears and check the PQ of the over the air HD channels you can pickup. This will likely be better quality than the cable box. Finally, a DVD player upgrade to a quality upscaling model like an Oppo Digital might help improve movie playback.

At the store, they feed all the sets with a local HD feed so you see them at their best. When you get the TV home, it is difficult to find source material of the same quality unless you have an HD-DVD or BluRay player.

 

[geno46]

Thanks for the reassurance, guys. I'm thinking the HD setup will make the TV worth the money we spent for it. I know the dish company is going to have to upgrade the dish as well as the reciever, but they're not supplying the HDMI cable- so I'm expecting the installer to know what he's doing.

Does the quality of the HDMI cable that runs from the HD reciever to the TV affect PQ, or is the HDMI label some sort of standard? I haven't bought that cable yet, but all of the local stores in my area want at least $100 for a 6' HDMI line- seems like a hose job to me.

The local Frye's has HDMI-HDMI 6' cables for $20- I know this not the same as a brand like Monster cable or some other high-end brand, but is the more expensive brand really necessary? Will the cheaper cable do the job just fine?

Geno

 

[corysmith01]

Geno, save your coin. A cable is a cable is a cable...unless it's poorly made/manufactured. I just got this one in the mail last week. Works perfectly fine. Save yourself some money. There's no reason to spend that much on cables.

 

[geno46]

Cory,
Thanks for the link- that price seems more reasonable for an item pumped out in a factory by the thousands. I noticed that Monoprice is in CA (sweet)-works for me.

Geno

 

[geno46]

Finally got the Dish Network HD upgrade- they had to add another dish (!) to my house, but the result is well worth the all of the effort to go to the HD format.

Allof my concerns regarding PQ with the KDL-46S2010 were unwarranted- after the HD upgrade, watching TV is almost a new experience. The HD channels are extremely clear and natural, with detail clear even in the background. Watching movies in HD is even better-like watching the same movie and seeing detail I didn't notice before.

The regular SD channels are even better- some not much as others, but overall a definite improvement in PQ over the previous SD setup.

What would be a good DVD player to compliment the performance of this LCD?

Geno

 

[f0am]

Geno in your menus there are settings for Widescreen And Fullscreen.
Put them both at full and make sure you SD channels are being fed to the tv at 480i-p.
This will make your tv automatically stretch out SD channels to fit the screen.

I suggest using component cables on your dvd player as well. It makes a huge difference. I usually don't have any issues with my dvd player appearing pixelated.

 

[mouettus]

By the way, I own the V series (40V2500) and IMO, it's worth every nickel! Hi-def looks awesome via my HDMI cable. Souce: 1080p clips played with my computer. I personnaly see the difference even on the 40in screen. You should see it more clearly on the 46in. But if that tv set makes you happy, then so it be!

And by the way, sd IS poor on any big screen tv out there. Looks blurry and you can see the pixels due to image resizing to 720 or 1080 lines. But I wouldn't live without "mythbusters" or "dirty jobs". So I just sit back and enjoy the show for what it is. Sooner or later, all channels will be hd anyways. (somewhere by february 19th, 2009 for US broadcasts)

 

[jcPanny]

What would be a good DVD player to compliment the performance of this LCD?

Geno,
Check out the the upscaling DVD players from Oppo Digital. I have the entry level DV-970HD and it is looking great on my 32" LCD. Unlike monster products, for $150 you get a high end DVD player AND an HDMI cable. On your new set it might be worth spending a little more for the 971 or new 981 models. Any of them should look great on your new set and hold you over until HD-DVD and BluRay become more reasonably priced.

 

[geno46]

I was considering stepping up to the V series Bravia, but I couldn't get that $600+ price difference past the wife . I know the better 1080i resolution would have been awesome with all of the new HD channels, but even this LCD with its 720p is getting alot of compliments from anyone who sees it.

We're planning to go with a bigger LCD in our bonus room in a few years- hopefully Sony will have the 72's out by then - will 1280i be the latest-and-greatest then? I'll definitely be able to go with the top of the line then...

Jc- thanks for the tip on the Oppo DVD players- will check them out.

Geno